Alioth: I know where you are coming from having, during the last two weeks, had to fly into EHNX, EGMC and EGTE.
However, a re-read of my post may be helpful – landing fee £36.00 (£30 + vat), 8 hours parking charges after 2 hours free – 6hrs at £1.80 (£1.50 + vat) total £10.80 grand total £46.80 as explained by Fenland Flyer. Ergo: parking charges only of £10.80 are payable to Saxon Air (SA) not the landing fee.So, what are you really receiving for paying that munificent fee to SA:
- 8 hours of secure parking for your aircraft
- direct access to the ‘outside world’, without having to pass security (vide Peter’s comments upon avoiding security)
- lounge with free hot / cold / alcoholic / non-alcoholic beverages and snacks
- free Wi-Fi access
- quality flight planning services
- within (albeit Class D) CAS
Sure there are plenty of cheaper options around – Gloucester has also received its own share of poor reviews so it’s not the be all and end all – and it’s one hell of a long walk to Norwich eh? 
If I was flying VFR perhaps I’d also go to Seething, Shipdham or Old Buckenham et al, but suffer the hefty private hire fare to get into Norwich centre? No thanks.
Saxon Air are not charging punitive rates to keep their apron free and you can go elsewhere if you find paying £10.80 prohibitive for the facilities mentioned above but try parking a car in Norwich (or especially Cambridge) for 8 hours and see how much that will set you back!
I repeat, I have no pecuniary interest in Saxon Air but accusing them of levying punitive charges has no substance, at least not to me – it’s cheaper, cleaner and less smelly than an internet café and the view’s better too!
Maybe it’s time to visit Norwich again. Hopefully it would be a positive report.
Norwich is a nice “city break”.
Parking charges are payable to Saxon Air, but you do have the benefit of using their pristine tarmac and enjoying some decent coffee and refreshments in their lounge.
Other airports such as Gloucester have all of that, and I paid less to stop an entire long weekend there than the earlier poster paid for just an 8 hour stay at Norwich.
I know airports often don’t get a subsidy and have to make their living by the charges they levy, but some seem to be charging punitive rates almost to stop their aprons getting soiled by single engine aircraft.
Although holding no brief to defend either Norwich or SaxonAir, it is my local main airport and I use it where applicable to board and disembark passengers when runway length and convenience dictate, for IAP and night flying currency.
That said a couple of points raised here could benefit from clarification.
The landing fee mentioned (£30 +vat) includes no handling charge at all for, although mandated by NIA as handlers of GA aircraft, Saxon Air ‘handle’ light aircraft entirely free of charge. The charge mentioned is paid directly to NIA, along with a small charge – obligatorily levied by Saxon Air on behalf of NIA – for the pleasure of taking your money.
Parking charges are payable to Saxon Air, but you do have the benefit of using their pristine tarmac and enjoying some decent coffee and refreshments in their lounge. One doesn’t have a lumpy piece of grass upon which to park and the staff at Saxon Air are unfailingly helpful and polite. There is an excellent closed-off briefing room off the lounge and Wi-Fi is available, again free of charge.
Monopolies are outlawed however, monopolies which carry no charge are not. The airport is privately operated and could benefit from some management expertise however, that is not what the complaint was about, it specifically targeted landing fees.
On a number of occasions Peter has mentioned his Norwich experience and in that, at EGSH, he is not alone, however half-wits who cannot interpret the rules in a reasonable way are everywhere from Amsterdam to Zurich and all points between.
Whilst mentioning NIA – and yes, they do operate international flights so the nomenclature is not entirely ill-founded – a special mention should be made of EGSH ATC which is both relaxed and professional at the same time, a hard act to bring-off and not one achieved by EGSH’s near neighbour at EGMC who, when I spoke to them by telephone sometime ago about night landings, simply responded that they didn’t want light GA there and who, when I asked if I could quote them, hung up the telephone!
There are plenty of airports meriting the poor name given them, however, quite frankly, in my view, Norwich is not one of them.
Well you can see how the costs rack up at Doncaster. I flew through there a couple of times last week and it was just soo busy. I explained to my passengers that it’s unique in Europe for having the gates inside the terminals, which is why you don’t see any planes parked there. Mind you, they did have a C150 in the zone – well Gamston actually. And according to t’other side, someone got busted for infringing it while talking to them.
If you think Norwich is expensive; try Doncaster Sheffield EGCN.
I paid around 200GPB for landing+handling on a tankstop a couple of years ago.
Yes I understand those needs and then it is a worthwhile stop-over BUT I hate monopolies and hate being charged for a “bus” ride when I could walk in 2 minutes. If I needed the lounge and all the other facilities it is still worthwhile but all I needed was somewhere to park for a few hours.
As a matter of fact I have looked in my log book and have used Norwich (before they had their visions of grandeur and changed the name to Norwich INTERNATIONAL Airport) Airport so many times. I remember the GA apron used to be busy and the place was very relaxed about GA and very helpful. Then it all went wrong and now the GA apron is no more really and stands empty most of the time. So is this because it is supported by the taxpayers of Norfolk and there are (was anyway) county councillors on the board so any required subsidies to cover losses could possibly be arranged with few problems? A question not a statement.
I landed there recently when conditions at my destination on the other side of the N Sea deteriorated and got the full Strasser scheme treatment. They could not have been more helpful and my intention is to go there intentionally next time because refuelling there means I can direct to Denmark, avoiding Holland altogether, despite the cost and an extra £15 for ‘international paperwork’. I hate this ‘handling extortion’, but in this case they really worked for it and then waived the charges.
I’ve flown In to Norwich a couple of times. Always found Saxon to be very friendly and good service. Although I don’t ever really require handling! Arranged to refuel to tabs while I was away to save time. You can get the park and ride bus from just outside their front door into the city it takes about 15mins tops and was cheep so you can avoid a taxi easily.
I have been there direct from Helgoland in a C172.
Was indeed handled by Saxon Air. Can’t remember the cost but it was all in all a pleasant experience.
I flew on commercially to Edinburgh and while sitting and planning my next leg in the Cessna when returning to Norwich I called Saxon and had them fuel the plane. when I returned the next day it was fueled exactly liked agreed and my departure time and destination was on the white board.
