Name & Shame
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 125
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From: West London
Name & Shame
If you were a flying club just north of London, (for the purposes of argument, let's call them Flyteam Aviation at Elstree), and you received a couple of emails asking about self-fly hire - why would you ignore them completely?
Possibly, with the state of GA in the UK being so healthy at the moment and your profit margins so large, you can afford to ignore potential customers?
Possibly, with the state of GA in the UK being so healthy at the moment and your profit margins so large, you can afford to ignore potential customers?
Moderator
Joined: Feb 2000
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
Posts: 14,480
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From: UK
I know nothing about them, but have you tried phoning? The number of perfectly legit Emails that seem to get eaten by spam filters, or even just vanish, these days is quite disturbing.
G
G
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 178
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From: London
There have been a few comments about Flyteam in this forum and I'm not expressing any opinion on them.
However, if an organisation is going to be "named and shamed", surely it should be for something more substantial than not answering emails. There are enough organisations out there with questionable safety records or poor business practices to worry about. Perhaps their computer/server is down.
Why not call them on the phone?
Just a thought.
However, if an organisation is going to be "named and shamed", surely it should be for something more substantial than not answering emails. There are enough organisations out there with questionable safety records or poor business practices to worry about. Perhaps their computer/server is down.
Why not call them on the phone?
Just a thought.
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 125
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From: West London
I sent the first email because nobody answered the phone.
I will be fair on this, if Flyteam have had genuine problems with their phone/email systems, then I will post that on this thread.
However, it's hard to do that when I can't get in contact with them at all.
I will be fair on this, if Flyteam have had genuine problems with their phone/email systems, then I will post that on this thread.
However, it's hard to do that when I can't get in contact with them at all.
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 187
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From: NW England
Instead of being negative and whining on a forum like this where it will achieve nothing, why not act positively and pick up the phone and get your needs serviced by a competing organisation? Firecrest at the same airfield used to offer near to identical rates - try them, it is a more positive action and it will make you feel better when you succeed !! If Flyteam want to go out of business - let them.
Joined: Jun 2003
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From: EuroGA.org
Sadly, the spammers have got a lot more clever in the last 6 months or so, and email reliability has fallen to a very low level.
A business that relies on email, and which exposes its email address on a website without taking some precautions, has to do some rather proactive measures otherwise they will get 1000 spams a day.
On top of that, most businesses rarely check their emails and, if they ever did, all it takes is for the person in charge of it to leave and they just forget about it. Aviation is a particularly backward business in this respect.
If a school doesn't take calls, that doesn't look good for general contact regarding whether a lesson you've booked is still on (weather, etc).
Avoid, IMHO. Life's too short.
A business that relies on email, and which exposes its email address on a website without taking some precautions, has to do some rather proactive measures otherwise they will get 1000 spams a day.
On top of that, most businesses rarely check their emails and, if they ever did, all it takes is for the person in charge of it to leave and they just forget about it. Aviation is a particularly backward business in this respect.
If a school doesn't take calls, that doesn't look good for general contact regarding whether a lesson you've booked is still on (weather, etc).
Avoid, IMHO. Life's too short.
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 125
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From: West London
Now, now Tony - just because I suggested you marry a farmer on a previous thread! 
I did look at Firecrest, but they only offer Cessnas and I'm a low-wing type of guy. (I also resent paying landing fees at a 'home' airfield).
Penguina - I read FFFs thread after starting this one. Although I take his & others point about the school, the comments regarding self-hire were fairly positive. Still, cause for contemplation though.
While I take others points about excuses/reasons for non-contact. I also run my own business, and I'm hoping Flyteam take customer care as seriously as I have to. The Private Flying forum is a great place in which to find out.
I did look at Firecrest, but they only offer Cessnas and I'm a low-wing type of guy. (I also resent paying landing fees at a 'home' airfield).
Penguina - I read FFFs thread after starting this one. Although I take his & others point about the school, the comments regarding self-hire were fairly positive. Still, cause for contemplation though.
While I take others points about excuses/reasons for non-contact. I also run my own business, and I'm hoping Flyteam take customer care as seriously as I have to. The Private Flying forum is a great place in which to find out.
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 217
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From: west sussex
Flyteam
Amir is fine - a bit cranky maybe, but fine. I did over 50 hours in his arrows, and my IMC rating with him. He is generally fine with his customers (not so sure he is so friendly towards his instructiors though) but he does have a work life balance (hence having Mondays off......)
PM me if you want more detail.
PM me if you want more detail.
