Helipads, hotels and Others: Requests, Recommendations & Rip-offs
Join Date: Mar 2003
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My attitude to those hotels who expect that helicopters will pay for a landing is to ask how much they charge cars to park in the car park and use their hotel facilities. If they put the argument forward that they have had to go to some costs to make the helipad, ask them how much it cost them to build the car park. I have refused on many occasions to pay a landing fee on the basis that I am using the hotels facilities. Oh yes I will pay if the landing site at the hotel is all that I will use as my convenience to visiting some place nearby.
If you use the hotels' facilities you should NOT pay landing fees - point this out firmly to the manager.
If you use the hotels' facilities you should NOT pay landing fees - point this out firmly to the manager.
Join Date: Mar 2002
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Billesley Manor nr Stratford on Avon. there is now a fifty pounds landing fee for helicopters.
Needless to say, we told them that we wouldn't be coming after all and actually... wouldnt ever come again.
Seems daft to me. Fifty quid for landing on a bit of grass they'd have to cut anyway. Costs more to lay a car park....
I have hear that La Manoire auz Quatre Saisons charges a hefty landing fee too?
Plenty of great places to fly into for free. Fawsley Hall nr Daventry is a cracking example.
Any other rip-off stories?
Needless to say, we told them that we wouldn't be coming after all and actually... wouldnt ever come again.
Seems daft to me. Fifty quid for landing on a bit of grass they'd have to cut anyway. Costs more to lay a car park....
I have hear that La Manoire auz Quatre Saisons charges a hefty landing fee too?
Plenty of great places to fly into for free. Fawsley Hall nr Daventry is a cracking example.
Any other rip-off stories?
Join Date: Nov 2006
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I have to say that the two hotels I have been to, and the other couple that I have made enquiries to do not charge to land provided you are going to buy something....
IMHO, if I was asked to pay £50 just to land on a bit of grass I would smack the receptionist in the mush!
I'm not really that violent!
IMHO, if I was asked to pay £50 just to land on a bit of grass I would smack the receptionist in the mush!
I'm not really that violent!
Join Date: Aug 2007
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I was once qouted £750 per movement....yep £1400 to land a 120 at a hotel near Tring. Can't remember the name of the place but I think it's in sitefinder. Needless to say I found somewhere else to land,they were quite suprised when I pointed out that Heathrow or Battersea didn't charge that much.
Join Date: Oct 2005
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A certain hotel next to LHR requires you to be a guest at the hotel (i.e. the pilot has to pay a standard room rate of a good £80+)
Another one in Cheshire charges upwards of £100 on occasions.
They say the charge is to offset the annoyance factor to the guests and maybe to have staff standing by, but I've never seen staff looking out for the machine and guests tend to be impressed with a chopper using the hotel, rather than annoyed.
Another one in Cheshire charges upwards of £100 on occasions.
They say the charge is to offset the annoyance factor to the guests and maybe to have staff standing by, but I've never seen staff looking out for the machine and guests tend to be impressed with a chopper using the hotel, rather than annoyed.
Join Date: Feb 2001
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It's not quite as simple a just using a bit of grass. Of course I prefer not to pay landing fees at hotels too and do think if you are staying overnight with the associated revenue it's a bit rich if they charge, though in my experience few do. Lunchtimes are different - profit is usually modest.
As a land owner, increasingly vigourously interpreted and implemented health and safety legislation does mean that you have an obligation to ensure reasonable safety of your visitors and this can have costs when associated with helicopter landings.
However I suspect charging is often used to control the number of landings - too many and noise complaints and potential council efforts to restrict or prevent helicopter landings may follow.
At the end of the day these are usually private businesses and both hotel/landing site and helicopter operator can make the decisions and choices they wish to! We should bear in mind that landing fees are usually a small proportion of the cost of flying and that we do enjoy much greater freedom to land at private sites than in much of Europe.
As a land owner, increasingly vigourously interpreted and implemented health and safety legislation does mean that you have an obligation to ensure reasonable safety of your visitors and this can have costs when associated with helicopter landings.
However I suspect charging is often used to control the number of landings - too many and noise complaints and potential council efforts to restrict or prevent helicopter landings may follow.
At the end of the day these are usually private businesses and both hotel/landing site and helicopter operator can make the decisions and choices they wish to! We should bear in mind that landing fees are usually a small proportion of the cost of flying and that we do enjoy much greater freedom to land at private sites than in much of Europe.
Join Date: Jun 2006
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I was asked to pay £50 if I chose to land near the Manoir aux Quat' saisons this summer. Apparently there have been problems with the restaurant's own landing site so helicopters are using an adjacent farmer's field.
If we had done this we would then have needed a taxi to the hotel (the £50 naturally did not include a lift!, fire cover, ATC or security).
Maybe I expect too much but I chose to be driven instead rather than to fly to the Manoir. There is definitely a sentiment that those of us who can afford to fly can also afford to be stung in the wallet for using a small area of otherwise unused grass for a few minutes.
Private landowners have the perogative to charge whatever they feel represents a reasonable fee for landing. I also accept that hotel managers need to balance the noise pollution against increased kudos that helicopters movements bring.
We are also free to choose not to use unlicensed sites who charge and I try to make this a rule as often as I can. It is nothing less that a matter of principle for me.
SB
If we had done this we would then have needed a taxi to the hotel (the £50 naturally did not include a lift!, fire cover, ATC or security).
Maybe I expect too much but I chose to be driven instead rather than to fly to the Manoir. There is definitely a sentiment that those of us who can afford to fly can also afford to be stung in the wallet for using a small area of otherwise unused grass for a few minutes.
Private landowners have the perogative to charge whatever they feel represents a reasonable fee for landing. I also accept that hotel managers need to balance the noise pollution against increased kudos that helicopters movements bring.
We are also free to choose not to use unlicensed sites who charge and I try to make this a rule as often as I can. It is nothing less that a matter of principle for me.
SB
Join Date: Sep 2000
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Banjo and I used the Chewton Glen in Bournemouth on a regular basis over ten years ago when we needed to stock up on tea and sarnies on our cross country building the hours up type flights. They were very accommodating and helpful and back then they did not charge us. I hope this is still the case but I would not know.
They did not even bat an eyelid about one of our unusual demands.
They did not even bat an eyelid about one of our unusual demands.
Join Date: Sep 2000
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I know what you mean 212 man one time my mother and I had to turn back to the hotel we just had lunch since they had forgotten to charge us for the pre lunch tea.
Oh how we laughed.
Oh how we laughed.
Join Date: Mar 2006
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Heli dining
It's sad to see the cost of flying increasing. The mounting cost of landings is part of that increase.
I fly casually for a professional company and I also get to fly with a private owner out to lunch. There's nothing better than going off to the Victorian high country to a pub for lunch (play paper rock scissors to see who will fly home)
I’ve even had the chance to go away for a weekend and fly there instead of driving. All very civilized… until the pub owner puts the prices up.
But that’s the cost of having a hobby.
I fly casually for a professional company and I also get to fly with a private owner out to lunch. There's nothing better than going off to the Victorian high country to a pub for lunch (play paper rock scissors to see who will fly home)
I’ve even had the chance to go away for a weekend and fly there instead of driving. All very civilized… until the pub owner puts the prices up.
But that’s the cost of having a hobby.
The Veloceraptor of Lounge Lizards
Join Date: Jan 2005
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I don't mind paying a reasonable fee if the site is ok, after all its' a recharge to the customer. What really grips me is when a hotel wants £250 to land next to their car park, which is free to guests. A standard response now is "Ok we'll pay the £250, can you show us copies of your license, details of your fire cover and GPU's, your frequency and how many gorgeous dollies you have to carry the passengers' bags."
One regular customer, the chairman of a major multi-national stood at reception and asked them to justify £250 when he had eight rooms booked for a week and could have parked his car in the car park for free. The landing fee was immediately waived.
The Von Essen hotels make no charge if you are using the hotel facilities, parhaps they should spread their methods round the rest of the hotel industry.
One Wiltshire hotel demands £100 to land on a patch of mud leaving the passengers with a 350 yard walk to the building across a badly poached field to the hotel. At the other end of the scale Ickworth House has a magnificent pad and the pilot is treated to coffee and sarnies.
VH
One regular customer, the chairman of a major multi-national stood at reception and asked them to justify £250 when he had eight rooms booked for a week and could have parked his car in the car park for free. The landing fee was immediately waived.
The Von Essen hotels make no charge if you are using the hotel facilities, parhaps they should spread their methods round the rest of the hotel industry.
One Wiltshire hotel demands £100 to land on a patch of mud leaving the passengers with a 350 yard walk to the building across a badly poached field to the hotel. At the other end of the scale Ickworth House has a magnificent pad and the pilot is treated to coffee and sarnies.
VH
The Veloceraptor of Lounge Lizards
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rotorspeed;
Stoke Park just outside Slough (Slough fer chrissakes!!!)
Celtic Manor £500 for non- residents!!!!!!!!
Come back Battersea, most things are forgiven!
VH
Stoke Park just outside Slough (Slough fer chrissakes!!!)
Celtic Manor £500 for non- residents!!!!!!!!
Come back Battersea, most things are forgiven!
VH
Avoid imitations
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I use hotel and other private landing pads quite a lot. Some charge nothing, probably seeing the parked helicopter as a "status" thing for customers and potential customers to see.
Others charge £50, which will be waived if the hotel is used for accomodation or other facilities are paid for.
Some request a donation to charity.
One near Taunton charges a slightly more expensive £100 per movement - but then claim the depature as a second movement and want another £100
The most expensive I've found so far was a London private school. They wanted £1200 to pick up 2 pax from their playing fields, no other services provided. They have their own "business generation manager", say no more. We didn't go.
The one that pee'd me off the most was the one where, having paid the £50 landing fee and been given a complimentary cup of tea while I waited for the aircraft owner to return, they changed their minds about the tea being free and pursued me for £3.50.
Others charge £50, which will be waived if the hotel is used for accomodation or other facilities are paid for.
Some request a donation to charity.
One near Taunton charges a slightly more expensive £100 per movement - but then claim the depature as a second movement and want another £100
The most expensive I've found so far was a London private school. They wanted £1200 to pick up 2 pax from their playing fields, no other services provided. They have their own "business generation manager", say no more. We didn't go.
The one that pee'd me off the most was the one where, having paid the £50 landing fee and been given a complimentary cup of tea while I waited for the aircraft owner to return, they changed their minds about the tea being free and pursued me for £3.50.
Join Date: Aug 2003
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Carlyne Bay Hotel
This place is fantastic, just to the south of St Austell on the cliffs. No landing fee.
If was where "The Witches" was filmed apparently.
Been there 3 times in a military helicopter and had a lovely well priced lunch.
Will be going back shortly!..
p.s. The Jamaca Inn on Exmoor is a cracker as well!
Ralph
If was where "The Witches" was filmed apparently.
Been there 3 times in a military helicopter and had a lovely well priced lunch.
Will be going back shortly!..
p.s. The Jamaca Inn on Exmoor is a cracker as well!
Ralph
Join Date: Sep 2007
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Landing Fees
I can recommend Burgh Island near to Plymouth. Fantastic hotel, great little pad and no landing fee. Paid 50 to land in the car park next to Padstow for Rick Steins but they did look after us and provide security for the heli so can't really complain.