extortionate slots costs

[Pod265]

I am in the beginners scenario and operating quite happily from EDDL with 20 000 000 in the bank. Then suddenly, after opening up 4 new routes between EDDL and some french airports, I notice all my money is gone. Didn't understand until I noticed 21 000 000 for slot costs, 138 000 each instead of the usual 18 each. i hadn't noticed when setting up the new routes.

Why has this happened and what do I do about it? Can I get all my money back by cancelling the routes and releasing the slots?

Thanks

[Pod265]

I have been reading some more I think it is because of dynamic pricing to inhibit monopolies at airports, but when setting up a number of routes for a new aircraft, when you are new to the sim particularly, it's very easy not to notice that the slots costs have risen from 18 dollars to 138,000 each and end up bankrupting your airline by mistake. It would be good if there was a warning sign that popped up, at least in the beginners scenario as it has rather spoilt my game! Still, I have been enjoying playing and it was my mistake. I have cancelled the said routes and my lawyers are negotiating with the said airport.

[Sami]

I checked your airline, and for a new route from DUS at 6 am you pay about $1.5mil for a full set of 7-days slots. Sounds about normal for a medium-to-large airport that has still plenty of slots available.

So for a full schedule of let's say 4 routes, you'd pay about $5-8mil in total as the one-time fee.

(Slot costs are tax-deductible when you close the route, but money is not returned.)

[Pod265]

I understand what you are saying but if normal is $1,500,000, why have I been paying a maximum of $18 per slot up to now? No graduation in the increase. That is some dynamic pricing. I can't see from my routes how I managed have $21,000,000 of slot costs. I released 8 seven day routes. All my present routes from EDDL are at the $18 or less slot rate. Am I missing something?

[groundbum2]

Pricing seems based on how much you dominate the slots at the airport. This goes down the hourly level in my experience. So start all your flights at 0600-0655 and you'll dominate that slot-hour and you'll pay a lot more. Have a look at starting flights at 0700 and see how much cheaper the slots are. Same with LAX and the 2355 redeye slots, etc. 1700 at JFK to Europe.

Simon