To whom it may concern,
I just had the pleasure, and I use that term extremely sarcastically, of parking my Comanche 250 for two nights at RYY – Monday October 12th and Tuesday October 13th of this month. It’s obvious that you are not in the business of dealing with anyone who isn’t there to purchase a few thousand gallons of Jet-A, but the great thing about it was that I got to pay for your ‘services’ as if I was one of those patrons. When I arrived, Tower/Ground directed me to turn right to parking. I turned off at A3 and entered your ramp area. No one was there to direct me where to park, so I taxied until I found a place.
I wasn’t parked in front of the Hawthorne building, I had found a spot all the way down in front of H&L Maintenance at the west of the parking area. I asked H&L if where I parked was OK, and I was informed that I needed to talk to Hawthorne about parking. So I walked the nearly 400 yards from where I had parked at the far west end talked to the girls at the desk. Now, the girls were friendly, and when they asked where I parked, I said I could taxi the plane back down to near the FBO, and they said that wasn’t necessary the line guys would tow the plane to where it needed to be, and I assumed park it and tie it down. I filled out the paperwork, and was given a business card in case I needed anything. I do not recall being offered a ride back to my plane, so I walked all the way back down to where I was parked and unloaded my bags. I then walked back to the FBO entrance with my 4 bags, used the restroom, and waited about 5 minutes for my ride to arrive.
Upon return, and my departure, on Wednesday the 14th I assumed I would be paying around $10 for a tiedown fee as I had the last time I was at RYY, and at numerous class D and C airports I have frequented, but that was not the case here. Instead, I was given a bill totaling $75 for two nights. I did not take this up with the friendly women at the desk because to me that’s like yelling at the wait-staff for my steak being cooked incorrectly. I was offered a ride to my plane, which was still located 400 yards away in front of H&L. But it was a nice day, and I had a 4 hour flight ahead of me, and I declined the ride to stretch the legs. So the line guys had not moved the plane as I had been told it would, and when I arrived at the parking space, my plane had not even been tied down. But I did get to pay for a tiedown fee for two nights at $20 for each night – even though it wasn’t tied down. And the best part about that is thunderstorms came through on Monday night. While there wasn’t high winds, there could have been.
In addition to the $40 in tiedown-but-we-didn’t-actually-tie-it-down fees, I saw a $25 facility fee on my bill. I assume this is the fee for not having my plane towed to a proper parking space, not having someone direct me where to park, using the restroom and walking through the only exit to the parking lot. There were two $5 security fees, which I assume are required by the airport, which I understand have to be passed along. And maybe the facility fee is also an airport wide fee, in which case it is what it is. But considering it wasn’t the case with the previous FBO I used when I visited, nor any of the other C and D FBOs I frequent, I am doubting that is the case. Unfortunately the other FBO is gone, and you have a monopoly for transient visitors.
So, for using exactly none of your services, not parking on your ramp space, and not being tied down, I got to pay for all of it as if I did anyway. Well, I did use the rest room, but I don’t think a $75 rest room and walk through fee is all that acceptable. It’s no wonder you have comments disabled on Airnav.
I miss the old FBO.
Ed Frederick
N727DS
[cell number]
