Signature’s relationship with light GA

Let'sgoflying!

Let'sgoflying!

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Feb 23, 2005
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Dave Taylor
Tell me your experience with this business.
I have my own, just wondering if there is a consensus.
Also, for perceived or real issues; offer solutions.
 
I hate what they've done to the industry, and i go out of my way to avoid them, but I have to admit the handful of times I've found myself on one of their ramps I've been treated well and didn't feel taken advantage of. Now, I don't fly on the coasts, and the signature locations I've been to (with the exception of ORD :cool:) have been at their smaller locations or on Lifeline flights.

I've honestly had worse experiences with individual FBOs. The old TAC Air was the one that I felt had the worst fees and treatment. They're part of signature now...
 
Well, here's a fun topic!

Pros:

- Shiny building and lobby
- Sometimes have red carpet treatment to impress pax
- Sometimes have good cookies and popcorn
- Sometimes waive fees for little guys

Cons:

- History of negotiating exclusive flowage rights with airport authorities, pushing out traditional competition
- Often play surprise with "hide the ($$$) fees", which come and go from the website depending on corporate whim
- Calling the desk in advance may still not reveal all the fees
- Some locations charge stupid levels for fuel and services, with zero alternatives to pass through the gate (even without using said services)
- Have personally seen handling and service incompetence at multiple locations, which still result in paying exorbitant handling and service fees
 
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I have always had good service and good experience from Signature. But yes, their fees can be on the high side.

But I always check ahead for fees when planning to visit a new airport. Especially if the FBO is signature. A few times I have used a different airport because I didn't feel I needed Signature level of service for a particular flight. I have never felt trapped into using Signature.
 
It’s about the same as their relationship with “non-light” GA…they charge a bunch of money for stuff, and if you don’t like it, that’s not their problem.
 
Our club is served by Atlantic. if the Atlantic truck is off line and I need to use signature, they are very nice and accommodating. Last time they were really slow even though I called ahead twice as requested.
 
Go to Alaska with $12/gal and they charge parking and security fee to get fueled up!
 
We had a PA-32 fly-in at IFP (Bullhead City AZ / Laughlin NV) last November. Signature went out of its way to accommodate us (fuel/parking discount; meeting room with A/V equipment; shuttle service to the hotel across the river; pleasant, friendly staff) and helped make the event a success.
 
Never had a problem with them and always received great service at every location I've been to. That all said, you will pay for it.
 
Honestly, I’ve felt more gouged by SheltAir than Signature. Then again, my only Signature experience was at MCI, and they were awesome.
 
ElPaso Pilot said:
Well, here's a fun topic!

Pros:

- Shiny building and lobby
- Sometimes have red carpet treatment to impress pax
- Sometimes have good cookies and popcorn
- Sometimes waive fees for little guys

Cons:

- History of negotiating exclusive flowage rights with airport authorities, pushing out traditional competition
- Often play surprise with "hide the ($$$) fees", which come and go from the website depending on corporate whim
- Calling the desk in advance may still not reveal all the fees
- Some locations charge stupid levels for fuel and services, with zero alternatives to pass through the gate (even without using said services)
- Have personally seen handling and service incompetence at multiple locations, which still result in paying exorbitant handling and service fees
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Like it or not, airports like Signature and the other large players because their infrastructure provides the first good impression for business travelers and they return large ramp and facility rental fees to support the airport.

The traditional competition is pushed out by the airports in favor of a better deal for themselves.
 
The problem isn’t so much Signature as the closing of so many smaller airports around major metropolitan areas. When you have no choice but to land your 172 at a class C airport, you end up paying for services that you don’t want. I think KRDU is a good example. With Chapel Hill closed there’s no convenient option for visiting the western half of the triangle except for flying into RDU.
 
I've had positive experiences with the majors like Signature/Atlantic and some of the other chains like Duncan. And I can't say I've ever really had a problem with surprise fees.
It's hard to say that these places charge more, I don't think they do charge that much of a premium when you consider they're almost always operating at busy deltas or charlie/bravo airfields. Most any FBO is going to charge bigly money in those parts. Another bonus is that they're often 24h, or at least much better than a 9-5 schedule, and they're actually there during posted hours. I've been to FBOs where it's normal operating hours and no one is to be found.

TLDR; I may pay a buck extra at Signature but I don't feel taken advantage of. I never worry about my plane being left in their care.
 
Have used both sheltaire and signature as well as the non corporate FBO and have always been treated well. Always friendly and helpful. I have not kept track of fees, but have only experienced having to pay for tie down fees when I kept the plane there over night. Compared to the inflated costs of maintenance, and everything else aviation related the tie down fees have been peanuts.
 
You get what your willing to pay for.
 
Ok. Since the OP asked.

Maybe I’m just grumpy, but here we go with an example.

Flew into MMU on the afternoon of a predicted zero-ish night a number of years back, with a planned early sunrise departure.

Asked Signature for tie down, fuel and an early am preheat.

Desk help says no go on the preheat. “What’s that? Oh, we don’t do that here”, during winter at a Northeast FBO.

Great. How about a hanger. Can you top it off tonight and have it pulled from the hangar 1st thing in the am so I can make it to my appt?

“Sure thing.”

Drive by on a whim about 10:00 pm. Plane still outside, unfueled.

Desk help is gone. Tow guy says management will not let him fuel planes before putting them in the hangar because it might leak on their epoxy floor.

Great. Are you going to tug it in to the hangar so it stays warm for an am start?

“Nope. Management says I need two certified wing spotters to put it in the hangar and “Bob” here isn’t trained. “

Oh. So we’re you going to call me tonight to let me know I couldn’t start up in the am?

“Nope. No one told me to.”


Below is today’s fee screenshot from their web page. Prices may have been a bit different then, but still billed as premium service with sub-Kmart reality.

I know locations will vary by management culture, but had enough similar experiences here to avoid it.

IMG_3521.jpeg
 
The main issue I have with Signature is their ongoing effort to destroy any competition and end up with monopoly control over access to many of the airports they're at.

The drug smuggling activities of their Toronto location aren't a good look either.
 
I use them by necessity only, except at Chicago Executive. The prices there are competitive (usually the lowest of the three) and the staff is awesome. Maybe it helps being the only taildragger that ever comes through, but whatever the reason they remember me and are always notably engaged - asking about my channel and the grand baby that has brought me through 3-4 times this summer.
 
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I've avoided them based on stories here and other places. But we don't usually go to airports for the FBO and more often than not there's only one choice.

I don't have any horror stories to share, just high fees/fuel prices but nothing outside of the norm for the size/location of the field. That and service that varies between lukewarm and indifferent. Stuff like no marshaller/line staff coming out to show you where to park/ask what you need at the sort of airport with the sort of fees where you'd normally expect that. They had them and they weren't busy, I just apparently didn't rate high enough for that. You can tell which customers they actually care about.
 
Try to stay away from the major FBOs ,service at signature is usually good but your paying a premium for the service.
 
cowman said:
That and service that varies between lukewarm and indifferent. Stuff like no marshaller/line staff coming out to show you where to park/ask what you need at the sort of airport with the sort of fees where you'd normally expect that. They had them and they weren't busy, I just apparently didn't rate high enough for that. You can tell which customers they actually care about.
Click to expand...
Yea, and that.

I love the variety and quirkiness of small, local FBOs.

But if you’re going to charge me, what did I post above, a $58 handling fee for not handling me after I gave up waiting for staff when idling away, found my own spot in the back and tied myself down, that’s not acceptable.
 
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