Earth calling Air BP: Radio Check

[djpil]

I've also been a happy customer of AeroRefuellers for many years so I guess that I will get a similar letter from BP.

A pity that the local BP supplier at Moorabbin will lose business as a result. Colin really looks after our aircraft unlike some other truck drivers.

[Pilotette]

Thanks for the entertaining post Clinton, despite the subject being extremely frustrating! As a fellow Albury Aerorefuellers customer I agree that they do a great job in offering the multi card service, pity Air BP can't be team players. For worst case scenarios I still have an Air BP card tacked to my ex-employers account and he doesn't request a $10,000 guarantee, thanks TW

[Clinton McKenzie]

For worst case scenarios I still have an Air BP card tacked to my ex-employers account and he doesn't request a $10,000 garauntee, thanks TW.

Ha! TW's Aerostar's probably on the line for that $10,000. Make sure you use that Air BP card wisely (and, as always, fly safely) Pilotette.

[kaz3g]

Stung too

Well I got stung today, too.

I fuelled at YBKE at first light this morning and headed to Broken Hill. Swiped my card and "Invalid".

Fortunately, the tanker driver was there and he swiped his carnet and I paid him from my Visa...with a 20 cents per litre loading for the trouble...and I continued on to Renmark.

I phoned Aerorefuellers...they are unable to distribute BP cards as mentioned above.

I emailed Matt Smale at BP and he replied stating that Skyfuel is able to supply their cards. I told him I would refuel at Kerang on the way home to Shepp instead of Swan Hill because my Aerorefuellers supplied Mobil carnet works fine.

Kaz

[Clinton McKenzie]

It's so frustratingly unnecessary, Kaz.

I worry about:

- the costs to pilots who have no choice but to upload fuel at YBHI, and

- the value of the business lost to local businesses as a consequence of pilots who have the choice of avoiding the place.

[gerry111]

I reckon that there's another issue that this lack of Air BP carnet access may influence.

Perhaps safety?

For some inexperienced VFR's pressing on to know that there's an available Shell or other service provider on the other side of all that clag?

kaz3g may have refuelled at YBKE from the Shell bowser there that takes popular credit cards.

Arriving at YBHI, it isn't now quite that simple, as she relates.

I've been going flying with a VFR mate for over 30 years. (And he sure isn't a risk taker.) But I'm currently exploring a carnet with Air BP. Apparently that will entail me permanently without access to $10,000 of my credit card limit.

Just so that I can access AIR BP at places like YBHI.

[Squawk7700]

I got an email today from Tysons Refuelling of Essendon and Moorabbin, telling me that my BP card has been cancelled through no fault of theirs.

My Mobil card remains valid with them.

[Pinky the pilot]

I paid him from my Visa...with a 20 cents per litre loading for the trouble..

There is a part of me that thinks that having such a 'surcharge' is not only usurious, but illegal!!

Might be worth enquiring further.

[gerry111]

Pinky,

GA is all about suffering the outrages of monopolies.

[Band a Lot]

Pinky is correct.

Passed Senate Feb 2016

"issue an infringement notice including a penalty for listed corporations of up to 600 penalty units, currently $108,000 for each alleged contravention."

http://www.smh.com.au/business/consu...22-gn0guk.html

[Clinton McKenzie]

BP aren't charging a surcharge for using a card other than BP's. BP are charging for Ross's time in processing a manual transaction.

At least, that's what I'd anticipate BP's argument would be.

(I should have realised you SFR types are rolling in spare cash, G111. But I reckon the 10 gorillas you'll have to put in a term deposit to 'back' the financial guarantee won't make enough to cover the costs charged by the bank to issue it! )

[kaz3g]

Yes, I looked at the credit card surcharge question and rejected it for the same reason as suggested by Clinton.

But I wasn't charged the displayed price and that is something to be considered under the ACL.

I have already written to AOPA and NickX about the safety situation.

Kaz

[rjtjrt]

All this latter discussion about credit card surcharge is only going to make any tanker driver reluctant to help.

[CaptainMidnight]

the family company that owns the aircraft and in whose name the application was made in my case has no credit history or rating

To me, that's BPs reason they want the guarantee - you don't have a credit history or rating.

From what I've read here, others don't have the same problem with BP because they have a credit history & rating.

I suspect we are of a similar vintage. Way back till my late 20s I used to pay cash for everything. At the time it seemed the normal thing to do, and some merchants/shops didn't have CC facilities anyway. Then my accountant told me to get a credit card and start using it to get a credit history and rating, otherwise down the track I would have problems getting a loan etc. so I got a M/C and haven't had a credit problem.

These days just about every teenager seems to have a CC, and facilities for cards are just about everywhere.

[gerry111]

I've just made an application enquiry to Air BP on their "General enquiry-Form."

"I need an Air BP carnet to buy AVGAS in Australia. I note that you now require a bank guarantee before issuing one. Would it be possible to have one in my own name connected to my personal credit card? I'd have no problem with $10,000 being frozen on this card."

Clinton, There's a big difference between what the banks are prepared to lend us SFR's, at exorbitant interest rates, and what we can afford to spend..

[Clinton McKenzie]

But CaptainMidnight: The family company does have a credit history.

It has a credit history as a consequence - ironically - of the bills it's been paying for years for the fuel purchased for the aircraft using the four fuel carnet cards issued for the aircraft by, among other suppliers, Air BP. (Three after Shell dropped out.) The Air BP card that I have in front of me has the aircraft's registration on it.

The fact that Air BP does not recognise that as a credit history suggests to me that Air BP is disconnected from reality. Or it may be as Jabba suggests.

I'll be interested to hear the response to your inquiry, GIII.

[kaz3g]

Well, I would object most strenuously to any proposal to tie up $10k on my credit card.

What's next? Origin and Telstra?

It's no skin off the tanker driver's nose because he is just complying with the company's policy and I was very glad he was there. But I will avoid BP wherever I can now, cars and aeroplane, unless they change this ridiculous policy.

Kaz

[Pilotette]

If Air BP are so worried about the credit history of their clients, why don't they introduce a prepaid carnet system? I would be more than happy to uplift dollars online that I can actually use (rather than funds that are held). Sure it would mean that we would have to be prepared and actually take time to go online and deposit funds but with all the time we've shaved off flight planning with the use of OzRunways and AvPlan we should be right, yeah?

[gerry111]

After 5 working days, not a squeak out of Air BP regarding my carnet application.

[gerry111]

I refer everyone to ZAZ's thread of today on 'Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific.'

"YHML See NOTAM NO FUEL DONT COME"

Looks like Air BP may be pulling out of the AVGAS market?