Car hire and the new Airport Tax system

Share experience regarding ownership of property and/or living in Portugal.
widge
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Re: Car hire and the new Airport Tax system

Post by widge »

Bruce Wallis wrote:As much as it pains me, I am forced to agree with alot of the sentiments expressed in this thread, and it surprises me that it should be so.

We go around to the likes of Ferragudo, Alvor and even Amacao de Pera, and they all seem relatively lively, and yet Carvoeiro seems like a ghost town.
It's not that Carvoeiro has suddenly become unattractive, more I think because too many businesses just close up from October until Easter, but the likes of Alvor seem to phase their closures much more so as to offer a more appealing range of facilities throughout the winter.

There are more hotels offering winter packages in Alvor, maybe that has a bearing?

Go up and down Carvoeiros restaurant hill, and there are only one or two restaurants doing good wintertime business, as far as I can see, A Gale and Happys, and they are both well supported by ex-pat residents and golfers.

We still get our Canadian influx, but has the other winter trade died away, or is it that the businesses make so much money during the summer, that they dont need to stay open, running up overheads in the winter?


After all, like us, most of the semi permanent ex-pat population, probably dont eat out more than once or twice a month, and I know that quite a few of us tend to choose Ferragudo to eat out, rather than Carvoeiro.
You on the pop again Brucie.......it's ever so early, even for you :D
HampshireRich
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Re: Car hire and the new Airport Tax system

Post by HampshireRich »

Lesley Jean wrote:
Only a handful of cars there and no white YOR van, we went into the 'office' and disscovered due to the new regulations about hire cars and the airport tax it means that the car you hire will only be allowed to be in the car park for an hour, we filled out our usual paperwork and then had to have the rep take us to the barrier to get out with his ticket after he had paid the tax!
On return we take a ticket to get into park 4 now and hand this back to the rep with the keys, they also wanted us to be very sure that we will return the car at the time we had stated as they will only be there for you to return the car at that specific time!
We are coming out in July and have booked our car with YOR as before. It still states on the link on this website that the car will be there in P4 and that is where to return it. Although I will always do my best, there is no way I can guarantee the exact time I will arrive at Faro or when I will return the car 2 weeks later. I have no desire to wander around looking for the office on a hot Saturday afternoon with bags of luggage when I arrive or hump my luggage hundreds of metres to the terminal when I am leaving. Nor do I want to faff around dropping others off with the luggage whilst I return the car somewhere else. One of the main reasons I book with YOR is the convenience which to me is more important than saving a few euros with other companies.

So I would like to know what will happen in the main season - will YOR stick to what it states on the website or will we all be in the same position as Lesley Jean was?
logicbob
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Re: Car hire and the new Airport Tax system

Post by logicbob »

We fly in tomorrow I will let you all know what it is like.
Farol
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Re: Car hire and the new Airport Tax system

Post by Farol »

On our trip this month we had no problem with YOR. Their minibus has gone but the normal reps were in the Portacabin. Whilst the paperwork was being done the rep phoned her colleague and he delivered the car before the paperwork was complete so no real difference. One of the reps took the ticket that the driver had collected on entry went and paid and then waited for us at the exit so again it was pretty transparent.

We were told to collect a ticket and enter P4 as normal if there was no rep at the barrier on return.

On return other firms' rep were lined up at the barrier but the YOR rep saw us and indicated to take a ticket in the normal way and enter P4 which we did. The normal return procedure was then completed and she took the ticket from me.

I asked about how it was working and she said YOR preferred to give good customer service so were happy to have clients enter P4 with a ticket. She also said their normal allowance is one hour so a few minutes either way is not a problem. She did phone for a driver to collect and remove the car immediately.

All charges had been built into what I paid on collection.

Obviously out of hours would be different but then you get charged a premium so again what's different.

The way YOR had it working was fine and other than using the Portacabin and using a ticket instead of number plate recognition none of it mattered to me. As long as they have enough drivers to service the number of bookings during peak times it should work all year round. Given the relatively few flights and then each firms percentage of rentals per flight I would think an hours window for them to deliver and remove cars should be ok. They can check inbound flights (as they know from your booking) and deliver cars before being called if they get busy and on return if there is a backlog then they have an hour to clear it.

So far so good with YOR :D
logicbob
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Re: Car hire and the new Airport Tax system

Post by logicbob »

When we arrived we were met in P4 by the Autorent rep and taken by mini bus to there office which was 2 minuets away it took a little longer than usual, but I got the car I wanted at the price I wanted so I am happy.
Aldo
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Re: Car hire and the new Airport Tax system

Post by Aldo »

How's has the situation been over the busy Easter period?

Is this all now resolved, I am due out next weekend and curious
widge
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Re: Car hire and the new Airport Tax system

Post by widge »

We had no problems with the new system at all but each rental company adopts it's own procedure. Some deliver car to P4 others collect you in a bus and take you off site to car collection point (I imagine this is less convenient and takes more time). Everyone pays more !!!
joeysoap
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Re: Car hire and the new Airport Tax system

Post by joeysoap »

Back home after short break in cvo. Used TR as comfortable with them. Arrived at P4 at around 9pm, fair amount of customers at cabin for cars, 4/5 minibuses near cabin to pick up renters from other companies (I assume after paperwork). Less than 10 cars in P4 in total. After paperwork I collected my car from P1,directly beside P4. This is where I returned the car last Friday. Cost for 6 days was €75 for car, € 10 airport tax, and the usual € 20 motorway deposit. I think the € 10 only applies to short time rentals ( would have thought it should be the opposite). No difference at all to me, but the tourist board must be pulling their hair out. How do you explain an empty motorway and an empty car park for hire cars to visitors? When I left the car back in P 1, I glanced at the big empty P4 next door and thought what waste.
ceh
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Re: Car hire and the new Airport Tax system

Post by ceh »

We flew in on Good Friday arriving on time on the 6am flight from Gatwick having booked a car from YOR as usual. We went to the portacabin (which we'd discovered at New Year was where we now need to go for YOR). There was one person in front of us but that wasn't unusual. We completed the paperwork etc and the car was already by the portacBin.

We couldn't get out of the car park but someone from yor arrived on a bicycle after a few minutes with a ticket and which let us out.

We returned the car to P4 - we'd been told we needed to get a ticket at the barrier which took a few minutes as you need to press the broken button!

We returned the car to the spaces by the portacabin where someone was waiting for us

It all worked well once we'd worked out what to do. Not sure how it'll be during peak times though but yor were geared up to the process
mardi
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Re: Car hire and the new Airport Tax system

Post by mardi »

We have just returned from carvoeiro and used auto rent as per usual. I have to say we preferred the new system. When we arrived in the p4 car park a mini bus was waiting for us, took us down the road to their office where paper work can be completed in the comfort of their air conditioned office. On our return we dropped car at their office and were mini bussed back to p4 car park. All went very smoothly. Sure in the summer its going to be busy but instead of having to cue at the hut in the car park it has to be more comfortable to wait in their offices.
Aldo
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Re: Car hire and the new Airport Tax system

Post by Aldo »

Hi Mardi
as you were dealt with off site, does this mean you do not pay the €15?
on another thread, we were querying why the cars collected at P1 are being charged the ANA tax
mardi
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Re: Car hire and the new Airport Tax system

Post by mardi »

Just to confirm that no extra charges were made to us.
Sheila
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Re: Car hire and the new Airport Tax system

Post by Sheila »

Just hired again from YOR. This time the car was parked in P1 which means you have to drive all round the car parks to get out but we have been told to bring it back to P4. No need for tickets now though as number plate recognition is in force again.

The YOR man was extremely helpful.
biffa
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Re: Car hire and the new Airport Tax system

Post by biffa »

What is the current situation with picking up and dropping off someone? :?
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Re: Car hire and the new Airport Tax system

Post by e-richard »

biffa wrote:What is the current situation with picking up and dropping off someone? :?
Dropping off is at the same place as it has always been, but there are now barriers to get a ticket and to get out again. Its free if you just drop someone off and drive on, otherwise you pay something.

Similarly, there is a new Pick up car park signposted as you approach the drop off point , there is a separate lane which takes you to another empty car park (just like P4 !). Enter through a barrier, get a ticket and if you can exit within 10 minutes its free. The pick up car park is accessed by foot from the terminal building across the taxi ranks. A very short walk.
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