I spent four days in Vienna 2 weeks ago and landed at LOWW. As I’m used to doing, I sent few weeks before a request for a quotation to the handling agent (email based on a sample found on Peter website) : request for landing + parking + security + handling … all taxes included and price for Avgas as well (all taxes included).
I received a quote for Handling and Airport Fees : 534,93 € all taxes included, and 1,884 €/L also all taxes included for Avgas.
However when I left the airport they asked me : 882,41 € for handling and airport taxes (+65%) and they invoiced me the Avgas at 2,59 €/L (+38%).
As it was Sunday evening, I paid but put a claim by email when getting back to France.
After several exchanges, they recognized that they did some mistakes and would improve their RFQ process. They accepted to compensate partially the over-invoiced amount on handling+ airport taxes (331 € over 347 €), but they did not accept to compensate the over price for fuel (+150 €). If I had known the real price of Avgas before asking for refueling I would have managed by another way and not requested “full tank” !
Then just for your information, be careful with Vienna Aircraft Handling quotation even if they told me that they would improve the process : they consider that a quote is not binding !
Unfortunately, this (underquoting beforehand) is the norm rather than the exception in GA in Europe.
Usually, it is because of ignorance of the people quoting, since they sometimes don’t fully understand the (often complex) table of charges or don’t have have acess to the invoicing system. (In some cases, it works very well when they do and “simulate” the operation and send you a pro-forma invoice).
Often though, it is also the fault of the person asking for the quote, because they don’t supply all the required information (saying “landing, parking, handling etc., with all taxes included please”) often is not sufficient.
Re fuel, unfortunately, often the fuel companies don’t communicate with the ops offices. Plus, often they forget some type of tax/duty and sometimes there are refuelling fees on top.
Sad, but that’s GA in Europe. Unprofessional like little else.
I think the sample mlty is referring to is in this writeup and it has always worked for me. It contains all the required info. However, yes, many airports under-quote and Prague LKPR is the most notorious one which under-quotes massively even when you TELL THEM that they have always under-quoted and their quote must be wrong 
That writeup is quite funny in the references to faxing but fax remains useful sometimes when you have emailed several email addresses and all have bounced.
boscomantico wrote:
Unfortunately, this (underquoting beforehand) is the norm rather than the exception in GA in Europe
Not agree with you. With the template provided by Peter, I had no issue over the last 3 years on several medium and big airports in europ and paid exactly the amount announced : Amsterdam (EHAM), Basel (LFSB), Praha (LKPR), Knock (EIKN), Weston (EIWT), Sabadell (LELL), Venice (LIPV), Jersey (EGJJ)…
First time to pay more than announced !
mlty wrote:
With the template provided by Peter
Do you have a direct link to the template?
@mlty
What I don’t understand: Why did you pay in the first place? In a similar situation some years ago in Brindisi I showed them their eMail and refused to pay, and I didn’t.
If a company gives you a written estimate, of course it is binding, within certain limits. They have a price list for each position, right?
Dear Alexis,
You are right. Each time I have the email printed to check. But as written it was sunday evening, no managers were present, we had to leave, we had a slot, and we need them the reach the plane ! It’s not possible to walk alone in LOWW apron. To pay was the only one possibility to leave this place.
Yes, I understand, and I was sure you were under pressure.
As I said, I was in one similar situation, and in another one in Greece in 2003 when LGKR charged me the (funny) € 1,87 landing fee on one day and wanted € 60 landing fee three days later on the way back. I refused to pay and asked for a price list, and finally I told them that they could call the police but that I would not pay without seeing an official price list first. That solved it and they sent us away, without paying anything :-)
Alexis is correct on this one in my opinion. Its nothing but a shake down. Instead of aviation think of it like a check point in a Banana Republic similar to the ones the US props up. In order to go by you have to pay the guy with the gun the “Toll Fee”.
In this case a quote that is given a day before is binding in any country that is not corrupt or has rule of Law.
If you pay by Credit Card you can contest the charge since it is in writing. However if the price they tell you has a disclaimer on the bottom of the sheet that says the prices stated can be changed at any time, then you know you are being sucked in. The CC companies will pay the bill if such a disclaimer is on the price list you get.
Mity thanks for the heads up.
I guess if there is a weather situation or mechanical problem where you have to land at that airport you better declare an emergency.
