View Full Version : French fuel cards
Is there any point in these?
Is there any pump in France which takes the TOTAL card but does not take Euro cash?
Maybe this is for self service pumps where the card is inserted into a machine. They have one at Lelystad but that one took my AIR BP card OK.
Speaking of the AIR BP card, in the past year or two I have not been anywhere where it was taken but a normal Visa card was not.
Any views on this?
S-Works
3rd Nov 2009, 11:21
Unfortunately there are a quite number of French airfields that take ONLY the Total card now. I have been to 4 in the last 2 weeks that only accepted a Total card and I ended up giving cash to local aeroclub member's in exchange for then putting fuel in on the Total card.
10540
I flew a citation to Grenoble and the cards had been removed from the aircraft (while cleaning).
The passenger had to pay for the fuel which was Jet A1 and this worked out a lot more expensive than with the fuel cards.
Maybe its different with Avgas?
Pace
sternone
3rd Nov 2009, 11:39
Jets get a special price negotiated with their fuel cards. If you include avgas in that deal they usually give a discount of 0,04 euros of per liter ... :rolleyes:
Enough to buy you a coffee each time :ok:
BackPacker
3rd Nov 2009, 12:09
They have one at Lelystad but that one took my AIR BP card OK.
BP is the main (only?) 100LL supplier in the Netherlands. They're switching over from their proprietary BP card system to accepting credit cards and debit cards at all self-service pumps. At least, that's what I've heard. I have yet to experience it for myself.
The Lelystad price was the highest I have ever paid anywhere (short of possibly Turkey (LTBH) and the bowser for that event had to drive all the way from Istanbul) so they could afford to roll out some new pumps :)
Anyway, I never had an issue in France which appeared to require a French card, so I wonder what the issue is (if it exists). I don't fly a jet or a turboprop.
10540
A nice little turboprop in the front of that TB20 and you would be laughing :)
Avgas is becoming impossible try flying a twin :ugh:
Pace
akaSylvia
3rd Nov 2009, 21:56
Fear of Landing » Never Ever on a Sunday (http://www.fearoflanding.com/france/never-ever-on-a-sunday/)
Even at airfields that take cash, if you want to fly on weekends, you'll find a Total card is useful. ;)
Is there a list of French airports that are international (i.e. have Customs) that have this issue?
I've never come across it myself. Biarritz, La Rochelle, Tarbes, Cannes, various N French ones, no problems except possibly issues with having to park on very poor grass surface (La Rochelle - I refused) and waiting for jets to fill up first (happens anywhere).
gyrotyro
4th Nov 2009, 07:24
At Laval the nearest airfield to my home base where I refuel there is a Total card system and it is very convenient especially at weekends when it is difficult to find a refueller. I also get a discount on the pump price.
Fuji Abound
4th Nov 2009, 07:33
I am not sure there are many, if any, French airports with "proper" 24 hour customs where the sole means of paying is by fuel card.
Lognes I always reckon is the best airport for Paris and will arrange Customs for you, but it is fuel card only. The same is true of Lyon Darois which is a good stop over for any where further south or for visiting the finest vineyards in the World.
A few others come to mind but a lesson learned over the years is to ask before you go. If they only supply fuel by card and you dont have one it isnt that much of a problem to arrange your trip via a customs airport that does have pay as you go pumps for the purposes of clearance and refuelling.
Indeed; my point was that to/from the UK one has to go via a Customs airport anyway.
However, quite a lot of them are "Customs PNR" for example St Yan. But that one took Visa. And it was hard to contact, though eventually I found a phone # that worked.
I think an airport not taking normal credit cards is totally stupid and arrogant. The process of obtaining the machine to stick the card into, and setting up the payments to one's bank, is so trivial. And let's face it - the amounts involved are hardly tiny. This is not a fair comparison but in my small business, our sales went up 20% instantly we started taking credit cards (15 years ago?). And 99.9% of my customers are trade, not retail. Today, in the retail trade, not taking CCs would be unthinkable - yet some airport management doesn't see it that way.
S-Works
4th Nov 2009, 08:01
It is OK, going into France by a customs field as required. But once you are in France and want to tour around you start to discover that many places will only allow use of a Total fuel card.
A large number of the French club fields are Total only as they don't have refuel staff or any staff around most of the time. When I was in La Roche last week the guys in the club explained that they get the fuel installations virtually free from Total and it is Total who won't allow the machines to be converted to take credit cards.
Ferrying aircraft that have tiny tanks across France means a lot more careful planning for fuel stops these days!!
VFR Transit
4th Nov 2009, 08:38
I have an Air BP fuel card and they issue you with a nice handy book with all the places you can get fuel when using your card, plus they don't want a deposit to obtain a card either.
VFR
S-Works
4th Nov 2009, 08:53
I have an Air BP card as well. However anyplace you can use that I have found that they take a credit card anyway!!
Sam Rutherford
9th Nov 2009, 09:33
Lots of the smaller (therefore nicer?!) French airfields are Total card only. But, you'll nearly always find a local who'll use his card and then take the cash.
Safe flights, Sam.