FARO AIRPORT - GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER

dakar · Post by **dakar** » Mon Jun 30, 2003 10:43 pm

When returning home from a fabulous holiday in Carvoeiro, I plus a number
of other holidaymakers became very frustrated on Saturday last 28th with
massive queue ( after we had checked in) for x-ray security. WE spent 45
minutes in queue which became very frustrating in the heat of airport
building. The airport authorities need to get their act together as every time
we seem to incur punishing delays especially on our return journey. They
simply dont have enough sceening or personal to deal with the
outgoing traffic.

The airport is not giving the ALGARVE a good name- in my opinion.
Everything else apart from dreaded airport is about as perfect as you will get anywhere so dont get me wrong - I am not knocking the Algarve.

Lets here it from you guys if similar experiences have been encountered.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 12:25 am

Have to agree with you on that one. Each time we have been to airport for our return journey we have had endless queues with only 2 check in desks open for UK flights (think the tour operators should be got on to about this so they can open more up for us - have always noticed that flights to Germany, other North European destinations NEVER have a long queue. The return journey last year was a nightmare, conveyor belt broken queued for 2 hours had to run through to get on plane and when we arrived in UK our luggage (12 people) wasnt even on the plane and turned up in UK 3 days later. We were rushed through so much to make the plane that our handluggage wasnt even checked properly so we could have got on the plane with dangerous weapons. With very young children this is one big headache

Friends who also travel frequently also have same problem and they are actually saying that they are thinking of going to another Country for their hols. from now on because they dread Faro airport.

Mike,Chislehurst · Post by **Mike,Chislehurst** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 9:20 am

We came back on the 19th June (Thursday) and it took about 45 minutes to clear the scanners. The problem appears to be and not surprisingly the amount of traffic on Thursdays Saturdays and Sundays. The rest of the airport including check ins are geared up for this but not the security personel. Try emailing the authorities at contactar@ana-aeroporto.pt

Mike,Chislehurst · Post by **Mike,Chislehurst** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 11:58 am

Correction on the email address above should have an "s" on the end of "aeroporto" to create "aeroportos". Not having a good day today

Ed · Post by Ed » Tue Jul 01, 2003 1:39 pm

When you have half a dozen or more flights being called at the same time it is inevitable that there will be a log-jam at the security screening. There's not a lot can be done about it, short of the airport getting more staff on at these peak times.

It is quite entertaining to see people pushing in at the front because the last call for their flight has just been put out over the PA. Great sport.

just gerry · Post by **just gerry** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 2:22 pm

Have to agree with all of the above but to be fair the ground staff always seem to be compatent with a laid back sense of humour(when god made time he made lots of it so whats your hurry kind of thing) which i reckon takes the edge off it all.But jaysus whats the deal with that upstairs cafe,i,ve been thru faro at least 10 times in the last 18 months and not once has it been even close to organised. I wouldn,t mind but its well laid out,the food is grand if a little basic and there is always room so why do i always end up eating a hotdog and chips while standing in the que to pay for it just so it doesn,t go cold.Come on one half clued in manager could turn the place around and i reckon make it into little goldmine in no time.

biffa · Post by **biffa** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 8:42 pm

Can anyone actually afford to buy food and drink at Faro airport. Especially the side beyond passport control.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 9:08 pm

Biffa, your getting off the subject as the post before, this is a potentialy very serious issue for the future of tourism for the area covererd by Faro airport. Serious comments only please. Mike, Chislehurst.

Westy · Post by **Westy** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 10:55 pm

I have three young children and for the last three years have flown in on a Wednesday and out on a Friday spending the extra two nights in hotels. Not only do you have a quiter airport, the cheaper cost of flights on non change over days more than covers the price of a good hotel for a couple of nights.

Mike
Suffolk

maddi · Post by **maddi** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 10:57 pm

I am not sure what Biffa said to deserve that last retort, the post as started by Dakar did refer to queues through security but also commented in general terms about Faro Airport needing to pull it's socks up, and airport catering is surely a part of that.

For my two pennyworth, Faro Airport is not a joy to transverse, but neither in my experience are most other airports. Guests' friends thinking of going elsewhere for their holidays will need to think very carefully about where they choose. Palma with it's two mile walk from check in to departure gates, for example. Greek military bases open one day a week with little or no facilities. Bodrum, Turkey where two soft drinks airside will set you back £8.00.

In all honesty airport worries will have very little impact on overall travel to the Algarve or any other part of the world as the vast majority of holidaymakers do not make their destination decisions on the impact of the two or three hours they have to spend in their resort area airport.

Maddi (hoping that my post meets the required level of seriousness as determined by Dakar rather than anyone else)

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Jul 01, 2003 11:17 pm

But why is it that everytime we return there are only 2 check in desks open for our flight and the rest of the check ins are empty. Never any other flights going or it appears that way when we have been there. That is where the hold ups are. Can't they get more staff to open up more check ins and then we wouldnt have all the queueing which is very stressful when you are travelling with young babies and children.

To be then rushed through x ray and I mean rushed through - more than one person running through scanner so dangerous items could have been easily placed in departure lounge or carried on to the planes. No chance to go to duty free, stock up on food that the kids have eaten whilst queueing for 2 hours.

This always happens to UK flights - never see long standing queues for the other North European countries - why is this???

Peter Belinfante · Post by **Peter Belinfante** » Wed Jul 02, 2003 4:09 am

Anonymous wrote:This always happens to UK flights - never see long standing queues for the other North European countries - why is this???

The only reason can be: You are flying to England; thats the destiny of living on an island. (You never know if it's still at the same place or driffted away!):lol: Why don't you move to solid soil! at the mainland of Europe! I never have trouble when going home from Faro! (the only trouble I have is: I don't like to go home; have to be back in two or three months again in Carvoeiro, otherwise I get "kick-off symptoms".) Try flying from Rotterdam or Amsterdam: no trouble checking in at Faro; no trouble with the x-ray and you don't have to pass passport-control! What a joy being an €-pean!

So, don't complain!!!!!; maybe it's also because your are not registered at this forum!

Or is the main reason that the TV-series "Airport" are realy true and are the British airline-companies a mess?

cowboy · Post by **cowboy** » Wed Jul 02, 2003 4:29 am

peter, can you book my next flight?

Peter Belinfante · Post by **Peter Belinfante** » Wed Jul 02, 2003 4:53 am

cowboy wrote:peter, can you book my next flight?

If you pay me enough commission!

cowboy · Post by **cowboy** » Wed Jul 02, 2003 5:36 am