Goodwood rip-off!!!

[oscarmike]

Hi All

My daughter's partner is participating in the Festival of Speed at Goodwood over the weekend of July 11th - 13th.

Due to my daughter having to attend a family wedding on the Saturday, I offered to fly her down to Goodwood on the Sunday morning.

I just called Goodwood Ops to book an arrival slot for the Sunday morning, as they only started accepting bookings on Monday.

Well, the good news was that they have plenty of arrival slots available, the BAD news is that they are imposing a whopping landing fee of £50.00 per SEAT !!! :eek:

Now, according to the Goodwood aerodrome web site, the visitor landing fee for our aircraft (a Jodel) is £16.38, but as technically our aircraft is a 2 + 2 seater, we would be charged £200.00 landing fee !!

The official explanation is that 'they are encouraging aircraft to fill all their seats......'

Yeah right...........!

The words 'off' and 'rip' spring to mind. :rolleyes:

[Johnm]

I flew in a year or two back and the standard landing fee for a PA28 included a car to take us to the event:D

About a year later they seemed to discover that the market would stand a great deal more :*

Curiously enough I haven't been to the event since then.

[DBisDogOne]

Sadly, Johnm has hit it on the head, they've discovered people will pay much more so they'll charge it! That's not just L/fee but gate price too.

It is a real shame as the FoS is an excellent event, I went to the first few in the mid-90's and it was good value, after a break of some years I went again '03-'05 as an engineer/camera op on the television OB so got in free but was shocked at the extent the prices had skyrocketed.
Like I say, it's a great pity as it's one of the only events of it's kind, well organised and suits the real enthusiast but is now so grossly over-priced it deters the people it was originally intended to attract.:=

[Barnaby the Bear]

I bet plenty of people will pay. I love the Festival of Speed. Its just basic Supply and Demand.
If I owned Goodwood and knew the demand was there I would charge more.... I bet the cost of flying into F1 at Silverstone (heli's of course) is far far greater.
:}

[Mikehotel152]

No, it's not supply and demand, it's a rip-off. :ugh:

There is a fair and reasonable price to pay for anything; then there is the price you actually pay. IMHO it is as morally wrong to keep raising prices 'to see what the market will bear' as the current practice by supermarkets of battering farmers in order to sell produce for absurdly small amounts on the supermarket cells using the excuse that making things cheaper for the consumer is always a good thing. They don't call this place 'Rip-off Britain' for nothing. :* I think it's a curious twist that Britain is famously a socialist country, yet suffers from the worse failings of pure capitalist greed.

I imagine I'm not alone in simply boycotting events which are ridiculously over-priced. It may smack of cutting off my nose to spite my face, but I'd rather not got to an event where I would spend the whole time resenting the entrance fee. The people who are more than happy to pay unreasonable amounts are probably not the sort of people in whose company I would want to spend time anyway...

[Rant over] :E

[Gertrude the Wombat]

There is a fair and reasonable price to pay for anything; then there is the price you actually pay.
The price you pay for something is what the something is worth to you.

Otherwise, if it's not worth it, you'll choose not to pay the price.

"Rip-off" only applies if there's something dishonest going on, like for example making it impossible for you to find out what the landing fee is until after you've landed, and then impounding the aircraft until you pay.

[oscarmike]

Quote: "Rip-off" only applies if there's something dishonest going on, like for example making it impossible for you to find out what the landing fee is until after you've landed, and then impounding the aircraft until you pay.

Not in my book.......... :hmm:

Dictionary: rip-off (rĭp'ôf', -ŏf')

n. Slang.

A product or service that is overpriced or of poor quality.
Something, such as a film or story, that is clearly imitative of or based on something else.
A theft.
An act of exploitation.

[BEagle]

Due to their absurd landing fine policy, the robbers of Goodwood are ipso facto encouraging aircraft pilots to fill all their aircrafts' seats.

This may well encourage the unwary to operate aircraft such as the PA28-140 with 4 adults - and probably overweight.

Any accidents caused as a result could well be a direct outcome of Goodwood's corporate greed....:mad: Has anyone mentioned this to them?

[Fuji Abound]

I enjoy cars.

I have only been to the festival once. It was brilliant to fly into Goodwood, miss all the traffic (which I gather can be horrendous) and be bused into the show ground via the VIP entrance. On that occasion the service was first class.

However that said, the "show ground" was packed with car manufacturers predalling their cars and the hill climb, whilst interesting, was for me hardly exciting. Setting aside the cost (and of course the entertainment of the hill climb) I am not convinced I want to pay that much to visit a "trade" exhibition when I can visit dealers show rooms for nothing.

Of course that is just my personal view and I fully appreciate an awful lot of people consider it very good value. Goodwood are entitled to charge whatever they like - and ultimately if people consider they are charging to much they will not go.

Personally I think the Revival far surpasses this event.

[Mariner9]

Utter nonsense.

Nobody is obliged to attend. I may choose not to go due to the charges, but have absolute respect for Goodwood (or anyone else's) right to set charges for their own airfield as they see fit.

[dont overfil]

Goodwood is a place I had penciled in to visit but having read the above I will not be attending. A charge like that is saying "We don't want you."
DO

[Fuji Abound]

Mariner9

On the specific issue of should they charge this amount I dont think it is that simple.

Of course they can charge what they like.

However there are many businesses that take an alternative stance by recognising that even in a capatilist economy there are other factors at work.

For example I have started a thread on the question of whether airports should charge for go arounds. Of course they can, but some might argue they have a responsibility to encourage pilots to conduct themselves safely.

In the case of Goodwood there are many of us who visit them frequently. We might like to believe we are good regular customer who contribute to their airfield income throughout the year. We might also like to think that as good customers the owners would not always want to charge the most they could simply because they can but would recognise that we are part of a small community.

Imagine what the LTA could charge for centre court tickets on finals day if they simply took the view that the tickets should be priced on the basis of what the market will stand - no they are to be commended for recognising that there is a community of tennis players that supports the LTA throughout the year and rightly the tickets should be made available to that community through the clubs at a reasonable price rather than on the basis of who is prepared to pay the most.

[StillStanding]

Maybe its time for your daughter to learn how to parachute? ;-)

[Mariner9]

You raise some fair points Fuji, but I maintain my view that Goodwood's charges are entirely up to them.

I've no support per se for high landing fees, but perhaps Goodwood management would say that the income from this event allows lower landing fees for the rest of the year for their loyal customers.

Will be interesting to see how many aircraft actually do fly in this year, particularly given the current economic climate. If attendances are low they will certainly be forced to re-think their strategy for next year's event.

[Bravo73]

Goodwood is a place I had penciled in to visit but having read the above I will not be attending. A charge like that is saying "We don't want you."
DO

DO,

Just for clarification, these higher landing fees are only charged by Goodwood during their motorsport events (ie Festival of Speed and the Revival Meeting.)

At all other times, the landing fees are very reasonable. And Goodwood is a lovely airfield (and area) to visit.

[oscarmike]

Maybe its time for your daughter to learn how to parachute? ;-)

Excellent! :D :D

[PompeyPaul]

Has anybody else considered the fact that whilst charging for super expensive times, it makes it cheaper for the rest of us during the quieter times ?

[Nashers]

some on here have said it makes it cheaper for the rest of us during the rest of the year. i had to pay 15 pounds in landing fees for a C152 last year and thought it was a bit too much...

[Mikehotel152]

Are you kidding Wombat?

The price you pay for something is rarely linked to what it's worth to you! :ugh: That kind of black and white statement avoids the point entirely. My willingness to pay £1.30 for a litre of diesel in no way represents what I think that litre is worth. I have no choice but to pay whatever they charge. Expanding on that analogy, the high oil prices we are paying are being manipulated by OPEC. They could increase supply in order to reduce price at the pumps, but they have us over a barrel (excuse the pun), and would prefer to keep supply low and prices high. They would also say that the market is 'bearing' the price.

Just because going to Goodwood is voluntary and there will always be those with more money to throw at these things than others, does not excuse the blatant profiteering. IMHO of course.

[A and C]

On balance I would say that this is a rip-off, a charge of £50 per person would be reasonable but charging per seat is clearly charging for something that due to performance reasons can't be used with a lot of aircraft.

On those grounds charging for something that can't be used is undoubtedly a rip-off as defined in the dictionary above.

[Gertrude the Wombat]

Are you kidding Wombat?

The price you pay for something is rarely linked to what it's worth to you! :ugh: That kind of black and white statement avoids the point entirely. My willingness to pay £1.30 for a litre of diesel in no way represents what I think that litre is worth. I have no choice but to pay whatever they charge.
The price you pay is always what it's worth to you, otherwise you won't pay it.

You do have a choice about paying £1.30 for diesel. You can choose not to buy diesel. The fact that you continue to buy it means that it's worth it to you, and that you prefer it to the alternative, which is not driving so much.

Example: If the price of diesel was such that it cost you twice as much to drive to work as you could earn in a day then you could give up work and be better off. In this case the price would be higher than what it was worth to you, which you would prove by refusing to buy.

[ShyTorque]

Think laterally. Take all the seats out and get in for nothing.

[Fuji Abound]

The price you pay is always what it's worth to you, otherwise you won't pay it.

I think there is confusion between "the price you pay is what it is worth to you" and a person's perception of whether they have "value for money".

It may be well worth it to you to pay BA £1,000 to get to a meeting in Germany at 12 hours notice, but you may not consider the flight good value for money given that the same flight a week earlier was £250.

Moreover, value to most is a moveable feast. If you pay to watch a cricket match and England win after a close battle that runs through out the day you may well consider the price you paid for the ticket was worth it to you, but if they slaughtered the opposition after two and a quarter hours you might well not!

As it usually the case you are in a much better position to judge whether it was worth paying the price after you received the service rather than before. :)

[Gertrude the Wombat]

As it usually the case you are in a much better position to judge whether it was worth paying the price after you received the service rather than before.
Oh, absolutely. If you think you're buying "x" and what you actually get turns out to be "y" then you might have a different perception of value. But in this case it seems fairly clear cut - you pay "x" and you get to land your aeroplane. You have, in advance, all the information you need in order to decide whether you think it's worth it.

[Fuji Abound]

But in this case it seems fairly clear cut - you pay "x" and you get to land your aeroplane. You have, in advance, all the information you need in order to decide whether you think it's worth it.

Are you sure?

Clearly you pay X to land your aircraft AND the "privilege" to fly into the show ground - other wise Goodwood would charge you the normal landing fee. (Has got me thinking whether the landing fee includes the entry fee or not this year - when I last went the entry fee was in addition to).

Once you have come out of the show ground you might or you might not decide you didnt get value for money for the extra privilege for which you paid. :)

As I said earlier personally I didnt think the event was worth the entry fee - but then clearly I am in a very small minority.

[Mikehotel152]

Poppy-cock...:p

I think Fuji-Abound is on the right track talking about value for money. That is the point, not whether you're forced to pay over the odds for something.

IMHO you can talk about supply and demand economics until you're blue in the face, but we all know what constitutes a rip-off. Doubling the price while your costs remain stable in order to double the profit... is greed.

[Squeegee Longtail]

Goodwood are quite right to charge whatever they like. Everyone can choose whether to go or not. If no-one went the price would be reduced.

This is VERY simple market economics.

The choices are -

1. Don't go
2. Go by bus/train/car and pay less
3. go, but moan about how much it costs and ruin your enjoyment
4. go, and enjoy it (and maybe fill your seats, as suggested)

also maybe...
5. fly in, but take a two seater

[fauteuil volant]

Surely the point has been missed. Big businesses will always pay "top dollar" prices for quality corporate entertaining opportunities. The same goes for landing charges, so that they can impress their clients and potential clients by flying them into the event as well. They can set the expenses against tax, recover the VAT and get new business as well. So if Goodwood can sell all or most of the tickets and landing slots to businesses, to permit the attendance of those who don't know or care where they are so long as it is exclusive and they are plied with copious quantities of expensive food and wine, that must make good commercial sense. If, in addition, that keeps the hoi poloi (another word for those who are genuinely enthusiastic about vintage motor vehicles and aeroplanes) out, surely that makes it better still. It's what corporate entertaining is all about. Just like a test match I once attended, as the guest of a large accountancy firm. Only one other person and I ventured out onto the balcony to watch the cricket. The rest remained in the corporate hospitality suite eating and drinking. But then, why did they need to do so when the television was on in the suite and it was showing the cricket! Perhaps Goodwood needs to enhance its corporate appeal by the addition of corporate hospitality suites with close circuit televisions showing all that is going on outside, so that the guests of the big businesses don't need to drag themselves away from the food and wine to venture outside! Now do I hear someone suggesting that I might be a tad cynical?

[EESDL]

to have the opportunity to see the 06 Le Mans-winning Panoz Esperante and new Ginetta G50 speed up the hill!

[silverelise]

The show is getting bigger and better every year, this costs money, the landing charges per seat (including ticket fee) is going to reflect that. I daresay it's also a way to quelle demand as I bet there are more aircraft wanting to fly in than there are slots available.

It's possible to get in for free this year (as it is every year) courtesey of The Times Online. Ask for free tickets and you shall receive.

Complaining about trade stands etc. is just bizarre; every show of this ilk does exactly the same. Go to Hickstead yesterday - how many horse-related business do you think have trade stands around the show ground?

Personally I think it's an excellent event. I love the diversity of the machinery on display and in action, I love wondering up the hill to the rally stage and the top paddock and there's simply no other event of its type in the UK that gives you the kind of access and experience that you can get at the FoS.

[1800ed]

Was this £50/seat charge imposed last year also? I was intending on flying in with three people in a PA28 this time round, I don't think I'd get it off the ground with four on board and sufficient fuel! Did this charge include the entry into the event as well?

[1800ed]

I've just been informed that it would cost £200 to land on the Sunday, but you do get 'VIP transport and hospitality'. Think that's probably going to be a bit pricey for me :(

[ChampChump]

We flew in for free on 1st May, 'The Ultimate Fly In'. We have since received free tickets for the F of S. Balance that out against the original post and the marketing model gets very interesting. If I use the ticket, I won't be going by air.

I don't fly in anywhere without a good idea of the landing fee. When it represents any measurable proportion (say 1/1000) of the worth of my 2 seater it's time to go elsewhere. Incidentally a 'free' landing invariably means one spends as much or more elsehow, which is as it should be, perhaps....

[Blink182]

Also got my Free ticket for the Friday FOS, just for dropping by and landing at the May day Fly-in.
Excellent initiative by Goodwood and one that they should continue.... after all I will be spending cash at the event at the very least on Food and drink.

Unlikely that I will fly in, .......... however I will avoid the queues by Motorbike :ok:

[snapper1]

Face it folks!
You are being asked to keep Lord March in the manner to which he has become accustomed.

[Lurcherman]

So how does £85+ vat to land at Turweston and be transported to GP sound?

[dont overfil]

Per seat?
DO.

[rgsaero]

Makes entertaining reading, this thread!
Of course, you don't have to attend at all, let alone in an aeroplane. I may well go but by surface transport and will remember well my first visit to the circuit.

I flew - as a passenger - in a Tiger Moth from Panshanger to the Whit Monday race meeting in '58 or 9. Fantastic value as we went dct and straight across central London except for a circuit round the Crystal Palace TV mast. No landing fee and we were straight in to the paddock and members enclosure.

Those very definitely WERE the days!
rgsaero

[mur007]

Presumably if the fees this year are similar to what they were last year when this thread began, there were enough takers for them to justify those prices?

[stickandrudderman]

FOS is a bit over-rated IMHO, so woouldn't consider paying the inflated landing fees.
The Revival meeting on the other hand is still value for money even at the increased prices.
Incidentally, how much is it to land on the Thursday and depart on the Friday?
If Thursday fee is usual one then I think my a/c may fail to start on Thursday evening!

[1800ed]

Thursdays would be the normal rate and Mondays are half price according to the website...

[silverknapper]

Another interesting caveat, this year at least, was that the landing had to be paid in advance. Fair enough, but 'what if we can't come due to weather' i asked. 'You'll get a 50% refund' was the answer. I queried this but was told that was standard and they wouldn't budge.
So we have people overloading their 4 seat single due to the extortionate landing fee ( and I saw at least one small 4 seater off loading 4 large blokes), and then perhaps tempted to push on through poor weather as they will be 'fined' £100 for making a sound weather decision. :ugh:

[Barnaby the Bear]

So we have people overloading their 4 seat single due to the extortionate landing fee ( and I saw at least one small 4 seater off loading 4 large blokes), and then perhaps tempted to push on through poor weather as they will be 'fined' £100 for making a sound weather decision.

They are overloading because they are irresponsible. Nobody is forcing them to overload, and if they do they are negligent. Likewise if they don't make sound weather decisons. Goodwood cannot be held responsible to other peoples decisions.
Goodwood set their price, its their airfield and are reacting to demand in a free market economy. I bet people still used Goodwood and will continue to use it.
:ugh::ouch:

[Mike Cross]

Question

1. If everyone paid what they felt was a "fair price" to get into the event would Lord M get more money or less?

2. If he got less would the event be as big and as interesting?

3. If the event was not as big or interesting would the "fair price" go up or down in the punter's view?

Return to question one and continue until you have completed your impression of the Oozlum Bird.

[blakesp]

I cant understand the landing fee pricing at the GFoS, i fly a PA-30 and they want £440 pounds... Obviously being a twin i understand it'll be slightly more... the thing that really angers me is the fact that larger/heavier twins, be that the Cessna 310, 401, 402, 421, senecas, seminoles and cheyennes and even the odd turboprops are cheaper by a good margin....

Can anyone shed any light on this?

[SlipSlider]

If you are getting your pricing from the Gwd website, that tariff list is for the 2011 event calculated at £55 per seat (nb not per p-o-b.) and contains a number of anomalies ... such as the PA30 which seems to have stretched to 8-seats ie £440, and nothing to do with it being a twin.

I suggest a call to Goodwood Airfield Admin on 01243 755 087 to clarify the 2012 event landing fee charge for your specific aircraft based on the number of seats (again: not p-o-b!). From hearsay I believe it may be £67.50 per seat .... :\

[140KIAS]

Pricing for other a/c seems to be on the basis of £55 per seat. Perhaps they made a mistake?

[blakesp]

cheers, £67.50 per head seems a lot more reasonable considerng the standard ticket price. i did try and call them this weekend to no avail although i shall try again tomorrow. I'd much rather fly in considering how long some of the traffic jams are.

[dont overfil]

Some deals through Flyer mag!

D.O.

[Flyinganaes]

As far as I can make out the prices are similar to last year. £55 per seat landing fee which doesn't include the admission ticket price which for an adult is also £55!! I went last year using the Flyer voucher (worked out at £75 each). Fabulous Day. Sunshine all day, cars, planes, motorbikes etc. No queues to enter or leave. I filled all four seats and had a wonderful day. The flyer voucher took the sting out of it by saving us £35 each! Would I recommend it if the price was £110 each and the weather was raining? That's a difficult one and possibly no.

[Flyinganaes]

Actually I think the offer was in Pilot magazine not Flyer. There was some discussion about this topic last year. See

http://www.pprune.org/private-flying/451714-goodwood-festival-speed.html

[cockney steve]

That is a good wheeze!- charge a/craft to come in and then charge punters to look at them!
dick turpin's spirit lives on.

Market forces are one thing, usurious exploitation is another.you won't see me there....likewise BGP at Silverstone All the new stands at good vantage-points meant that the common herd missed out....cost to enjoyment ratio fell out of my range...stopped going.

[rgsaero]

I can understand what they're doing and why. I won't fly in.

I well remember my first and only visit by air which was, I think in '58 or '59, with a fellow DH apprentice who had a licence and flew from Panshangar. We went to the Whitsun race meeting in a Tiger (Moth) not Grumman!

Straight across the middle of London, a circuit of the Crystal Palace TV mast and onwards to Goodwood. No landing fee, no entrance fee, walked straight into the paddock and watched the racing from the "members" enclosure! Had our picnic and after tea flew home.

That's perhaps why they charge by the seat today!

[peterh337]

I've never flown to Goodwood and have zero intention of ever doing so.

At these rates you can fly to Shoreham (a far better airport with a decent runway and decent facilities) and get a (massively overpriced, as usual) taxi to Goodwood :)

[The500man]

I can't understand why people will pay so much to land on what can only be described as a field with a cafe to one side, but people are exactly that stupid. If no one flew in there then they wouldn't be able to charge anything. Much like their "free Mondays".

I've not come across a more expensive grass field.

[Captain Smithy]

Had a petrolhead mate who went to the Goodwood Festival Of Greed a couple of years back (not by air it has to be said), said it was brilliant fun but horrendously expensive.

Supply and Demand never justifies anything. A shafting is a shafting regardless. I suppose asset-stripping is a great British tradition. Keeps profits up and the riff-raff out I suppose, after all we can't have them there can we. :rolleyes:

Interestingly for comparison there was a great classic car show in Inverness town centre a while back; totally free to watch and a great atmosphere. There again, run on different principles by different people. For 200-odd quid to land a PA28, without any tickets, thou canst kiss thy Glutus Maximus.

Smithy

[John R81]

The North West equivalent CPOP (http://www.cpop.co.uk/) is fantastic, and last 2 years when I atended it was FREE to land, and FREE entry for all aircraft occupants to the highest ticket-price version.

A really great event, well worth the time to visit (I flew up from Redhill for the day to attend). The only problem for most of you guys will be the need to gain a Helicopter Pilot qualification because there is no strip........ but....

Here's a thought, why not suggest to the organisers that next year they dedicate a field to the arrival / departure of lass able airframes?

:ok:

[Squeegee Longtail]

Goodwood - it's not cheap. Festival of Speed - it's expensive.

So what? Surely, if you are happy to pay up and think it's worth it, you'll go. If you aren't and don't, you won't.

Why not moan about the cost of a Rolls Royce and how the "average" man cannot justify that cost? Same deal.

What's the story here? No-one is being forced, coerced or conned.

[Lukesdad]

Sorry to add to, what has turned out to be, bit of a 'Goodwood Bashing' thread, but I did enquire last Summer about joining the Aero Club down there, partly to support the aerodrome and partly to secure some discount on their landing fees.

The annual subscription of £150 seemed expensive but tolerable.The joining fee however is a further £100. Ouch!!

Was it Graucho Marx who said he wouldn't want to join a club that would accept someone like him as a member?

[maxred]

The annual subscription of £150 seemed expensive but tolerable.The joining fee however is a further £100. Ouch!!

That seems cheap. Our club is 250.00 per annum.

[betterfromabove]

There is an LAA deal to fly in for the Thursday I believe.... £30 all in.

[PompeyPaul]

What's the story here? No-one is being forced, coerced or conned.

I think it's the 1,800% mark up for the day that people are questioning.

Although I kind of agree, you pays your money, you makes your choice 1800% mark up is a trifle eye popping :eek:

I flew in for gfos and thought it was absolutely the 1st class way to do it. They do lay things on and it's a great day out. But, how much ?!??

[Mariner9]

I really don't understand the whinging on this thread.

If you dont think its value for money, then dont go.

All this "rip off" and "they shouldn't charge the market rate" talk is nonsense in my view. Would any of the contributors who have posted as such be prepared to work in a job that paid less than the market rate for their skills? Or would they turn down a day's overtime if offered 1800% of their regular salary for covering a special event? Doubt it.

[Offenbach]

It's not for nothing that we refer to it here as the 'Festival of Greed'.....

[Bob Upanddown]

If owners / pilots are being stung for landing, who do they (Goodwood) expect to visit the Aviation Exhibition?? Toffs as a distraction from the main motoring event?

People who own airplanes are either very rich or they have no money left after spending it all on their expensive hobby. Yachting is no different.

I hope the exhibitors at the Aviation Exhibition think they get enough serious enquiries to make all their efforts and expense worthwhile.
Maybe next year, the exhibitors will stick to AeroExpo.

[Squeegee Longtail]

It is absolutely irrelevant what the mark up is on the Goodwood events, landing fees or anything else there, just as mark ups on nice cars, good holidays, or even a decent pair of shoes is irrelevant.

If you think it is worth it (ie. you can justify it to yourself) you will do it. if not, you won't.

I personally cannot justify £200 grand on a car, but I don't moan about the car maker charging £200 grand, I simply don't buy one (a/c no problem ;))

Please don't go around whinging about stuff you can't justify (or afford), just don't go.

[PompeyPaul]

Untrue.

It's my privilege to go about the place complaining about whatever takes my fancy. Whether that be other road users, town & county planners, stories I've read in "the sun" that I don't fully have the facts for or passing comment on the relationship status of celebrities, who I don't really know, based on some awful magazine left in the dentist waiting room.

If you don't like listening to me moan, then don't listen to me. I'll simply go and post it on Internet forums instead.

Oh wait.....

54p for a bag of crisps is still an outrage - I remember when they were 7p and only came in 3 flavours?!?!

[Squeegee Longtail]

Quite possibly that is why Goodwood is always a fun event!

[Aero Mad]

I do understand why you feel ripped-off; you want to drop your daughter at Goodwood and they want to charge you £200 for... that. So, I have a suggestion:

http://www.assystbullmer.co.uk/images/parachutes.jpg

[silverknapper]

Did many fly in this year?

Have been for the last few years but like a few people have had enough of the fees. £55 a head I could live with but not per seat. There was only two of us this year, in a large aircraft which would have been extortionate. Coupled with their ridiculous pay in advance policy and tough luck if the weathers bad attitude, I've had enough!

[maxred]

It's not for nothing that we refer to it here as the 'Festival of Greed'.....

These bankers, are they into aviation as well? What does Bob Diamond fly?

I always wanted to go, but like others, I reckon the cost far outways the possible benefit, of flying in. I also enquired about staying at the hotel, and that would have added another huge amount.

One could have spent 6 months on a Greek island, for the amount of a day or two at Goodwood. Ah those were the days:cool:

[toptobottom]

54p for a bag of crisps is still an outrage - I remember when they were 7p and only came in 3 flavours?!?!


Don't start me off..! I remember when mars bars were 3d (1.5p), 'black jacks' were 8 a penny and wagon wheels/curly wurlys were twice the size, etc. etc... :*

Anyhoo, I went in on Thursday for £30 all in. £50/seat whether occupied or not is the ridiculous bit and wholly unfair; individuals should be charged as individuals. I can't see any credible logic in charging for empty seats.

Aircraft were noticeably thinner on the ground this year than in previous years. Presumably the recession means fewer peeps than ever are able to fly, but I wonder how much more revenue Goodwood would have made if it hadn't imposed this policy :hmm:

[Private jet]

Chris Evans can still afford to go, he mentions it in his Mail on Sunday magazine column, to my mind a weekly masterclass in the art of bragging!

I flew into Goodwood airfield only once back in the mid 90's when i was out to get experience. I thought it was rubbish. (I think there was some event on then too)

[toomanyloops]

just avoid festival of posers go to vscc meeting cost about 15 quid no crowds just the right crowd

[Contacttower]

Well I was put off by the cost - I may have flown had it been cheaper, instead I did what most people do and endured the long queues to get in by road...

Of course it is their right to charge whatever they like but on reflection I think Goodwood might realise this time that it was a bit too much and that they actually ended up discouraging a lot of pilots who would otherwise have happily paid a smaller fee.

[Another_CFI]

My understanding is that even with the fees that they charge Goodwood fills all of the available slots therefore they cannot be too far wrong in their pricing.

[jtipper1]

I used to fly into the Revival every year and thoroughly enjoyed the event.
I have a Saratoga, which of course has 6 seats. I was horrified to be told a few years ago that the landing fee was £50.00 per seat, not per passenger as before, making it a total of £300.00
When I queried this, I was told that this was due to people booking a landing slot for two P.O.B and turning up with 4 or more.
This was their way of policing the numbers!!
When I explained that there were already checks in place. Once when you are collected from your aircraft by minibus/car and secondly at the entrance to the event from the airfield, where your tickets are checked. I was told that this was the explanation of the increase in charges that were told to say!!!
The chap was embarrassed, but agreed eventually that it was to increase revenue.
Needless to say, I have not been back since.
While I am sure I and others are not missed, I wonder, what the actual statistics re attending aircraft numbers before and after the new charges stack up and what the actual revenue from the landing fees compares..

It's a shame for myself and others have decided that this is a charge too far in these days of increasing costs, leaving this event to the very well heeled.

[maxred]

It's a shame for myself and others have decided that this is a charge too far in these days of increasing costs, leaving this event to the very well heeled.

I understand what you mean, but I would venture that those who are fortunate to own and operate an aeroplane, particularly a Saratoga, would, in relative terms, be classed as well heeled. I would hope that in owning and operating an aeroplane, comes some intelligence, and some savvy about life.:sad:

We therefore can look objectively at a proposal and decide, if it seems fair, or not. In this instance the charge of 50 quid a seat, does not, in my view, seem reasonable value. It is not after-all, that the spending stops after the landing charge. I would be travelling to the event from Scotland, a lot of fuel, an overnight stay, and a 200 quid fee, all to begin with:eek:

Having not been to the event, but would like to, there would be no way that I would just try it, not at these levels of cost. I might not enjoy the event. I would have considered making the event free to anyone flying in, perhaps linked to a meal or hotel stay. There are lots of methods to smooth the cost.

It is obviously their jurisdiction to charge what they feel is appropriate. If they get a great turnout, superb, more money for them. If someone looks at the numbers, and revenue is down, then they have damaged themselves, and longer term that just might become an issue.

[silverknapper]

My understanding is that even with the fees that they charge Goodwood fills all of the available slots therefore they cannot be too far wrong in their pricing.

I know for a fact this is not true. They like to imply this so that everyone's books (and pays the non refundable fee) in advance rather than people waiting closer to the time when they may cancel due weather, not rounding up mates etc etc.

[proudprivate]

Couldn't one fly the Saratoga to Shoreham and rent a car at that airport ?

I would tend to agree that a £ 300 landing fee is a rip off, in the sense that it offers very little value for money. I also believe that a landing fee "per seat" is ridiculous and potentially dangerous.


What does Bob Diamond fly?


He gets flown around in a Lear, but he personally flies an A340 on occasion. Insufficient runway at Goodwood I would say .

[maxred]

He gets flown around in a Lear, but he personally flies an A340 on occasion. Insufficient runway at Goodwood I would say .

Probably not any longer:sad:

[Dave Gittins]

Was meandering along the A27 from Portsmouth to Brighton on Sunday and reckoned that as I wasn't passing Goodwood until about midday, then anybody that was going would already be there and the roads clear.

Heavens; the queues on the A27 were back to Arundel, the people still trying to get in must eventually have ended up clashing with the ones leaving.

I think that rather rains on the Shoreham option.

I went to every Revival Festival from the start until 3 years ago but the sheer hassle of getting in and out overcame the pleasure in the end. Pity it's too dear to fly from Redhill.

[Contacttower]

Yes the road queues are a joke, I arrived at the back of the queue at about 9:30 and had to wait about 45 mins, not to bad probably compared to those arriving later who probably had to wait several hours to get in. The roads around there just can't handle it.