Answer to this dilemma?
here's the Dilemma.....
Me (PPL) has club a/c booked from 14.30 for a landaway (45mins each way + a coffee) on a weekend afternoon, so should have enough time to do the trip + return to base before nightfall....
I arrive at the club at 13.30 (time for a coke + plan our route etc) only to be told "a/c running late because earlier trial lesson turned up late, another t/l no-show, instructor + student running late etc and backlog has built up etc." Aircraft is finally available well after 15.00 - No criticism of instructor as he was very apologetic about the situation and at least had the foresight to fuel it up before the previous sortie. Landaway has to be scrapped in favour of a local jolly due to the time. This is a fairly common occurrence at many clubs I'm sure.
My dilemma....
Club policy is no shows (students, t/l's etc) are charged a no-show fee, a policy I fully agree with.
So the late running of the a/c means my booking is running about an hour late and my original intended sortie has to be curtailed - my non flying friend who gave up his afternoon specially was promised a trip somewhere is left feeling disappointed and I feel as though I let him down and the club let me down...
I'm a regular hirer, 3 or 4 hours a month, most weekend if poss. So if the club charges no-shows, late-comers a penalty, what about some form of rebate for people who have had to delay their plans as a result?
After all if you have a meeting with your bank manager at 14.00 you dont expect to turn up at 15.00 and be seen right away!
anyone care to comment?