FUEL AGENTS - Best & Worst
 

Something Different;

While flying in the USA, unusual things happened when I went to buy fuel. I was greeted with a smile, offered lifts, bags were carried, perspex cleaned etc. etc.

Quite different from a lot of places Down Under.

Having taxyed up to a number of fuel agents over the years, I have met some great Guys & Gals as well as some real Snarlers.

How about some replies on were the best service is. This helps all as turnaround time and service helps big time.

For me - thumbs up go to:

AIR BP @ Townsville
SHELL @ Emerald
AIR BP @ Archerfield
Mobil @ Mildura

Rose at Leigh Creek BP is a classic! I think everyone in SA knows of her! Thumbs Up from me. The guys and gals at Coober Pedy go the extra mile too. On one night flight from Alice to Adelaide I called them up inbound and mentioned that I was a bit hungry and they thrust a steak sandwich in my hand. It certainly hit the spot! :)

I'll second the motion for Richard @ Emerald, damn champion, is he still there?
Also gotta give a big thumbs up to Air BP @ YSSY and Shell @ YSDU.

Yep, He's still there, socks and all.

I'd have to agree about Shell @ Emerald. Gave us a lift into town after we tied down the aircraft and all.

:D AirBP and Shell at Jandakot Airport. All give you a smile and the odd bad joke and if you are lucky a cap to keep the sun off. Can't complain they are a good bunch of blokes.

Can't go past Crappy at Kowabunga.

Premier Class

At Bankstown ..... John Betts --Air BP
Camden................Rob Mangan --Air BP

Gold class service no doubts.

Port Headland.......AIR BP -- Drinks in the Fridge- Good hospitality.

Wynyard.................Mobil Dudes.

Bub Ploger at Windorah takes my vote for one of the best.

Bub calls a spade a "bloody shovel" but is always ready with a cold drink and a helping hand.

Country hospitality at its best

Good on ya Bub!

All the ports on the Virgin Blue network have refuellers that are very helpful. Most do what they can to help.

Keep it up guys, it is appreciated!

Richard @ Emerald wins hands down. He has been around aviation for a long time and has re-defined service and courtesy.

Followed closely by the Lovely Ladies in Cairns. BRROOWWWW

Pete & Alan at Shell Charleville give legendary service. Food as well!!

McAlister's at Moree are also very good.

G'day :)

Definately agree with John and the girls at Air BP Cairns. Apart from their good looks (the girls I'm talking about) the service isnt half bad either.

Burnie and the boys at Shell Bankstown do a good job too.

Crappy at Kowanyama is always helpful on the unicom when calling inbound.

AFD

:D
Have to agree that Rose :cool: at Leigh Creek is always there for you and the service has always been good. Prices are heaps cheaper than Broken Hill as well.
Also have to say that the service provided by Liz ;) at Flight Facilities @ Coolangatta is hard to beat. Always comes to greet you as you park and that smile is to die for. :D
Sorry have nothing good to say about Mobil/BP @ Moorabbin:mad:, Shell is ok though:p .
BSB

BP Cairns are great, also TL is very friendly, didn't seem to mind at all me dragging him out at 10:30pm on a Saturday night cause the bouser was broken. The BP lady at YBMA as I recall was also very good, not sure if she is still there??????

The Guy at Marrocydore has to be the most miserable, rude and unhelpful person ever i have had the task of dealing with.

To Boot theres a $50 call out fee even though theres a carnet there!!!??

Air BP at TL are great. Poor old Dick & Bernie at CS have to wear G strings to compete with The BP chicks.

What about Hammer in Tindal???

Please please put in that swipe card machine.

Have to agree with LC.
Shell dude in AS is happy to get any fuel.

kU used to be brilliant, haven't been there for a while but the Shell and BP dude used to nearly have a head on in front of your plane to get your fuel.

But ya can't beat that 44 drum of Avgas happily supplied by a publican in the back of a ute.....

Gotta agree Emerald is great,

Bathurst Mobil and BP was always friendly and good for a lift into town and a cuppa,

The Mobil guys at Kununurra were great, dont know if they are still there though, shame if they arent

Towoomba aeroclub were always pretty helpful

and those masters of the inevitable bad joke and a great smile Marty and Shane from Darwin

Heres a beer (or three) to great customer service, thanks guys

Thumbs up to Shell @ Tamworth as well.

I would like to avoid Cobar like S.T.D. ALWAYS A CALL OUT FEE. but it's so well placed on track for a stop.

Concur about Bub @ Windorah. A spade is a spade...always great service and a slab never too far away. :)

Would have to Cyril at Albany:)

Always there when you taxi in, and no call out fee no matter what day it is!!

Big Pete at Shell Parafield. Always has a smile and a joke to tell-as well as the next plan for the Airport **** up. Cheers

Have to join the chorus for Richard at Shell Emerald - the friendliest most helpful refueller I have ever come across.

Mildura Mobil - must disagree. Of all the miserable, grumpy, bad tempered ill mannered.....

Cobar might always have a callout fee but Dennis and Cheryl are great people always happy to go the extra distance and grab lunch for 10 pax, more beer for the esky or more ice (although I am not sure they want that advertised).

LEC.. yes a classic

Albany BP extremely friendly.

Excuse me, but I'm getting old!!

How could one forget the BP refuelling girls from Cairns!!?? Their visit to Charters Towers for FASOB was a highlight of the trip. I doubt that any other company sells avgas at Cairns; if you have the choice - buy BP. It's well worth it! ;)

G'day :D

Shell in Emerald excellent ,Liz in Cooly fantastic .However one particular Shell refueler in Bankstown really should start looking for another job as it is quite obvious he hates his present one.

Given a choice I wouldn't put mobil in my lawn mower.

Have to put an extra vote in for McAlisters shell at Moree and the shell lady at Cooly, polite efficient service.

My pet hate is turning up to get fuel at a self serve bowser and there's no god dam ladder ! nothing worse.

Or Des Daley and his brother Kev @ Bundy!:)

n_c
 

You're not talking about Gordo and his mate? Yup, they're still here. :D

HA Shell fella lives next door to me here in "Melrose". ;)

J & J Bunker at Ceduna used to bring Beer to the airport after a hard days flying. First thing you need when you get out of a hot aeroplane !!!! Thats a 2 thumbs up

Oh yeah, and Steve at Horn Island,
Nothing like beer and pizza to keep ya going
Bring it on Tyga

Ian & Spike, the Shell refuellers at Moorabbin, get my thumbs up - always cheerful and helpful. Ian is always good for a laugh too - needs to have his cage rattled from time to time!

Lovely lady from Shell in Cooly, came out in pouring rain, nothing too much trouble, almost reasonable price - on my way very quickly.:)

I should say AAAVN acft handlers are the hardest working but defenately not the best looking. But that would give away who I am.

Liz @ Gold Coast Flight Facilities (shell) is great, and so was Amanda when she was there. Go girls!:cool:

I'll add my two bobs worth here.....

Richard Ellison at Emerald is amongst the friendliest for sure...
Will do whatever he can to make sure you are fuelled and even is happy to let you sit in his office for the day!!! Great bloke, Great Service....

Also Pete, Cracker and Dave out at Charleville... I have been into Charleville late at night and just one phone call had Pete up at the office opening up, so myself and the pax could get some food.
Thanks Pete!!!!!!

Deffinately Richard Ellison from Emerald. Had a long wait job there, and offered me a bed for the day, his car, and even a pack of cigarettes if I needed them. No to mention a well earnt cuppa.
Top bloke!

refueller view
 

As a refueller in Tassie I must say refuellers have to put up with a lot of rubbish from certain customers, some examples follow :
Kendell would carry round fuel from Melbourne, but wanted refuellers to come in after hours to refuel when they had training flights on.
Freight companies show up and expect refueller to run out in the middle of the night to refuel 120 litres on a metro, or ring you 3 or 4 times just to wake you up and say they should be there at 0130 and show up at 0330.
Worse still they ring you at 4 am to see if you are at the airport to save them using the avgas bowser (lazy sods), and wake you and your wife up.
Or someone from their company rings up and requests fuel and then when you get there, guess what? The pilots dont want any fuel and never requested it.
Refuellers here dont get paid to be on call all night and with taxes, travelling and inconveniance, callout fees arent that bad.
I better stop whinging, sorry about that, but geez it felt good.

Classic line from a pilot "I wish I could charge call out fee's", my response, "So you work for free then?"

B.T.W. A.A.E. are the most disorganized company going around!

Most pilots are great guys but some real shockers too, suppose it's like that in all jobs.

Wazza at Essendon was a funny b*stard.
Always the " 'ow ya goin, orright? "

Competition helps;

Places where the service is best usually have competition;

For example; YBAF.

AIR BP is the new kid on the block. before that, asking for fuel from Shell and Mobil was a cap in hand affair. Please Sir, may I have some more.

Old Ray @ BP is there in a flash and even carrys bags, and has a good collection of dirty jokes on hand.

Flight facilities @ CG is another example - their service is quick and efficient.

Monopolies breed complacency. I now avoid EN as the same guy controls all brands and the service is lousy.

Gotta agree on the Emerald guy; in the middle of a long day of travelling around central Qld I had a passenger drop his wallet on the tarmac, the refueller found it (with the LARGE wad of cash inside), rang the passengers office, called his end-of-day destination, and had the wallet (complete with ALL contents) couriered on to the destination and returned to the owner, before he even knew it was missing!

There is now also a Shell Avgas truck on-call at TWB who is very good; and the fellows at Bundy are always up for a yarn and a gander at the latest pix in their aeroplane photo collection.

Regards.

Yep, Emerald for friendliness and service.

Helps reqind the hoses after using the bowser, and only too happy to give you a beer if you've finsihed aviating for the day, and have a yarn.

And the BP girls, what can I say!

:D They are always on time, don't mind being called back 15 mins later to throw 100lt extra on as you had less freight, and always manage to squeeze you in before Skytrans' 310!

As for Crappy at Kowanyama...words fail me. If you're there, during the tirade about "f....C.... beancounters from down south who wouldn't know a f....... if they had a c.... on their f..... useless c...." just watch out for his son Rhondlesen (a.k.a. Prop Strike). If there is one kid on the planet I feel sorry for, that would be him. It has been said that the teachers refused to call him "Little Crappy" like the rest of town does.

And HA yes I remember Hammer only too well....;)