Most likely talking out me bum here but does it really take an hour to re-program these things? More like a couple of minutes each I would have thought, after all, it's not like they're writing the code themselves is it? 
I know it's not fair to compare but hell I'll do it anyway Ford took about 3 mins to do my last mondeo key when that stopped working, and did it without charge!
I think it's perfectly fair. £70 an hour for skilled work can be both cost effective and fair where specialist equipment + skilled labor is involved, but not where it's a matter of plugging a key into a unit and fault checking it. I have two keys with the Multipla I bought this time last week; the remote on one worked and the other didn't, but it did start the car ok. Arnold Clark in Dundee offered me `an appointment next Wednesday' to have the key checked (said the check would take "about an hour") and quoted £97 for a replacement key if it needed one.
When I got home I tried the following tests on the `non working' key.
1). Switch batteries with the good key....... No remote locking/unlocking.
2). Check to see if the `dead key' will start the engine..........Yes. This means that although the key won't work the remote, the code is correct and recognised by the system.
3). Check to see if the `dead key' will start the engine with its batteries removed..........Yes. This means that code recognition does not depend on the keys batteries.
4). Check to see if the `dead key' will start the engine with the batteries + printed circuit removed.........No. Starter motor works, but engine won't start. This means that even if it's not getting power from it's batteries, the printed circuit in the key needs to be in place to start the engine. This told me the batteries in the key are used solely to trip the remote lock/unlock function and arm/disarm the burglar alarm.
5). Thoroughly clean all contacts on the `dead key', put the batteries in from the good key and try again........BINGO. It worked. Just needed cleaning. Maybe there's an intermittent open circuit on the on/off button, but if there is I'll have a clue as to where to look.
The above is no disrespect to trained service techs doing skilled work, but when Fiat agents like Arnold Clark are caught out ripping customers off, it does no-one any good; just loses them customers.
Rant over; dons hard-hat and awaits incoming bricks
