If you have a problem while flying in the south-east, best not to divert to London Luton Airport unless you really, really have to. The pilot of a Piper Warrior PA-28 which landed at the airport after being diverted there and encouraged to land by the airport tower has been hit with a landing fee of £1,047.36.

The case has been highlighted by Charles Strasser of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). Mr Strasser instigated the well-known ‘Strasser Scheme’ whereby aircraft making an emergency landing, for weather or technical reasons, would not be charged a landing fee.

On 19 January this year, an instructor and student set of from Elstree aerodrome, in a Piper Warrior 151 G-ROWS on a night flight for his night rating course.

On the take-off run a loud thump was heard. The controller at Elstree said the lighting was poor for a low pass for an undercarriage inspection and a decision was made to fly to Northolt instead. They were unable to accept them and recommended an emergency be declared and to divert to Luton. This they did.

A couple of low approaches [at Luton] were made for the fire crew to have a look at the undercarriage. They reported that it looked to be down and the instructor decided to go back to Elstree.

However the Luton controller suggested that a landing should be made “just to make sure everything was OK and then take off again shortly afterwards”. They accepted this, as it was sound safety advice, landed without incident and taxied to the FBO. They inspected the undercarriage and all looked normal. They asked if they could use the washroom facilities before departing and were taken to the reception.

As the pilot had declared an emergency, he claimed that under the “Strasser Scheme” landing fees should be waived. Although 207 UK airports have joined and participate in the “Strasser Scheme”, unfortunately London Luton is one of the remaining four airports, who have so far declined several attempts to get them to do so. However, Glyn Jones, the former managing director of London Luton Airport, is on record as saying, “that London Luton would do its utmost to assist any pilot in distress and would never disadvantage a GA pilot financially”.

As an AOPA member, the pilot enlisted the help of Charles Strasser to try and get at least a partial refund of the billed amount of £1,047.36.

Charles Strasser’s attempts to communicate with the current CEO of London Luton, Nick Barton, to get the charges refunded finally resulted in a refusal. On the other hand, charges levied by the FBO have been refunded in full.

Charles Strasser said, “It is the fear of such monstrous charges being levied for genuine emergency landings by GA aircraft which prompted the CAA to publish potentially life saving CAP667 9.2(c) which clearly states “that all aerodrome owners be persuaded to adopt a policy that there should be no charges for emergency landings or diversions by general aviation aircraft.”

FLYER has asked London Luton Airport for a comment but nothing has yet been received.

AOPA ‘Strasser Scheme’