I got mugged in Nice!
For those of you who may be unfamiliar with Nice Airport, – a cautionary tale!
Our three day layover was no different from the norm with visits to the usual Irish, British and Indian drinking and eating establishments. A 2pm check out on Sunday meant that we arrived at the airport as a bright eyed and bushy tailed crew, fully alert for the trip home - or so I thought. A quick coffee and check for emails in the handler’s lounge, and then it happened.
Within the space of time it takes to say “Dick Turpin,” and without even noticing, 1,200 euros disappeared from my wallet.
I eventually figured it all out when filling my expenses claim two weeks later, and here’s where it went:
Handling Fees (not including landing or parking) Euro 645.00
One tray of sliced fruit for two pax (no coffee or hot water) Euro 136.00
Aircraft Towing (because it’s compulsory in Nice) Euro 140.00
Crew Transport to hotel (note - inflated over normal taxi fares) Euro 80.00
Administration Fee (for what, ripping me off already?) Euro 32.51
VAT @ 19% Euro 202.71
How can any handling agent justify a charge of more than Euro 100 for a few trips back and forth to an airplane, and printing off a few pages of weather and notams?
I’m in Cannes now instead of Nice, and have the freedom of choice NOT to use compulsory handling! I haven’t yet found a good Indian, but the Irish bar is buzzing tonight, and when I leave on Sunday my passengers won’t notice that we didn’t use a handling agent, and I bet they also won’t notice that their sliced fruit cost Euros 100 less!!
I know its been going on for years, but are we not now in a recession, and are not many of our colleagues out of work with aircraft laid up or otherwise sold? If so why do we put up with this, and why don’t we collectively make a stand against the arrogance of such blatant overcharging?