"noname" wrote in message
...
On Aug 29, 8:39 am, "Mike" wrote:
snip
It's certainly not rare for FBOs to charge a fee for using their ramp,
especially if you are not buying fuel. Typically they are leasing that
ramp
space from the owner of the airport, and if that space is limited you
can
bet they are going to discourage non-customer aircraft from using it.
Your
instructor should have known that, especially if he's based there.

From the airport diagram, there are several parking areas listed other
than
the ramp. Why didn't you use one of those? Even with FBOs that don't
charge a ramp fee, it's bad form to use their ramp if you're not a
customer
and there's other space available. The reason is because they are going
to
send someone out to park you, chalk your aircraft, put down the red
carpet,
and/or put cones around your aircraft because they assume you are a
customer.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I understand about ramp fees and why they are used. There was no
information anywhere about charging the ramp fee.
When told there was a ramp fee, they gave me no option to move the
airplane and go. I didn't ask to be parked.

I was picking up the instructor.

The situation you describe is not unique. I've seen other FBOs that do it.
I don't like it any better than you do and I think it's CS, but I understand
why they do it. Most airports are great to deal with and never charge any
fees, but you can't expect those courtesies everywhere.

FBO's like that don't really care if you are asking for the parking service
or not. They assume a certain amount of liability for your aircraft and
othe others that are on the ramp. That's why they do it.

There are airports that don't advertize a landing fee in the A/FD (or
anywhere else) also, but if you land there, they will hand you a bill.