FARO AIRPORT CLOSED

[joeysoap]

returned from Faro to Dublin today with Ryanair. the hire car parks were at bursting point. there was a queue outside the terminal building (3pm) and we joined it and got into the airport around 3.10 and when inside we went to the Ryanair check in desk for information only as we had no bags to check. guy on the desk said that we could NOT go through to security and had to wait in the Q to be called forward. we asked where to wait and he indicated the Q we had left and which was now back outside the terminal. joined the Q once more and after about another 5 mins we got back inside the building. absolutely NO information from any airport offical about what was happening, so I left my better half in the Q and went back to the Ryanair check in desk and this time asked other passengers what they were being told, all said they were told to 'wait to called' but had no intention of doing so as the flight was 'on time' and gate due to close at 3.50 so I went back to my better half and we left the Q, went up to the check in desks and walked to the left along all the desks until we came to desk 1 where there appeared to be 2 seperate Q''s - one moving and one not. we joined the one moving but after getting in behind the desks felt a bit guilty about jumping so many people and were hesitating about what to do next when an English gentleman who overheard us talking enquired if we were travelling to Dubin, when we said we were he said you go on ahead as they were letting Dublin passengers through. just before the secuity area we were stopped and asked for boarding passes, when the officials checked them they informed us to go to the security area. we were in the area for no more than 5 mins and once airside went to a screen to check the flight status - screens said go to gate B56, the area where the passport control normally is was boarded up, you go to the right Hand side of duty free and that is were passport control had set themselves up. At gate B56 most passengers appeared to have already made it to here, though a few arrived after us. At this stage the airport announcer was informing passengers on Ryanair to Dublin to go to gate B56. flight left on bang on time and a lot of credit must go to the airport staff for this, for they are working in very trying conditions.

we were lucky because we bypassed most of the almost static Q for security without waiting to be 'called forward' and happened to stop and discuss the situation with each other directly in front of this English gent who overheard us and told us to go on ahead as they were letting Dublin passengers through (although he was no more than 30 metres from first boarding pass check it was evident he was not being allowed through) He was a passenger not an airport official, yet he knew we could go through to security but no official announcements informed us of this.


Airport staff were working under very stressful conditions but this could be alleviated somewhat by a bit more information and also someone walking the Q and informing passengers of exactly who should go forward to security and who should remain where they were.this person would need to have right up to the minute information on what flights were departing shortly. (or even better the airport announcer inform passengers of upcoming flights to go to security, we didn't hear this either but if they only made the announcement at periodical intervals you could miss it - especially if you were outside the building at the end of the Q)

[ron5000]

My daughter has just taken off from Luton. Due to take off 0710 this morning so not to bad.

Some friends of mine were on that flight and arrived faro 19.30 so not so bad

Well I do not know where they went too but we picked our daughter up at Faro airport 1330.

Quite right, met my friends today and the ez flight took off on time but their monarch flight due to take off half an Hour later, didn't

[EMM]

I was at the airport this lunchtime, anyone travelling in the next few days should be aware of the chaotic situation there caused by the storm damage.
Departures is approx 50% of what it was and this is the only area open, there are no shops and it appears that only one small coffee shop will be opening.
Anyone departing was being told to move to an area in the open by car park 6 where thay had to wait until the check in staff arrived. There were 2-300 passengers at least waiting for information and to be allowed to check in.
Arrivals are bussed from the luggage hall and they too exit by car park 6.
For what it is worth I was told that this is due to safety work being carried ou to make the building safe as high winds are continuing and are expected to continue for a couple of days.
Mnay holidaymakers were unaware of the damage, their transfer companies were not giving them and advice and so many were arriving in light clothes and with nothing to eat or drink.
All credit to the BA staff who were working the queue giving out some information , as we were leaving a gaggle of easyjet staff were also heading for the outdoor check in area.
I have no idea how and where arrivals would find the car hire personel.

Hopefully the building will be made safe soon but be prepared for continuing disruption although most the flights are getting away on time or close to it

[scottishstacey]

So its possible that the girl i was talking about was telling the truth then? I thought it was a weird thing to lie about but i cant see anything on ryanair website. I think she might be on her way home now though, shes not been back on facebook

[TomUK]

I know that these winds were very severe and such force can be very destructive. However, on looking at the pictures, I can't help but think that much of the airport's construction seems pretty flimsy. The corrugated roof seems particularly lightweight and the buckling of the canopy over the front entrance suggests not enough internal strengthening. Hopefully the re-build will address these issues and a more robust structure will result.

[EMM]

Trying to understand Potugal news yesterdya it appears that there was a moini tornado/whirlwind and that being an open building the roof was pulled off.
I suppose it was the equivalent of our famous hurricane in the eighties that did so much damage in the South east.
It has annoyed me when i read or hear complaints about the organisation at Faro, many have forgotten the shutdown at heathrow last winter or the fiasco at T5

[shanagarry]

Surprisingly none of this (Faro Airport) has been reported in the UK media

[fmm]

I agree EMM. The Portuguese were very stoical about the situation - and just got on with it. The most moany people were, of course, the English. Having a go at the people walking around the airport with boards trying to shepherd people into the right place to get their planes. There were many nationalities there, but the English were the ones that were shouting. Admittedly, the others may have been issuing death threats in foreign languages, but at least they were doing it quietly.

I suspect in the UK the airport would have been closed to ensure no one could be hurt by further roof falls. At least I was able to get home and (as I said before) landed only an hour later than the scheduled time - which for an afternoon flights is usually par for the course.

The Portuguese workforce at the airport did a sterling job keeping the airport moving - yet people were STILL moaning about the elctronic boards not working correctly and being forced to wait outside until their flights were called. As EMM said - just thank your lucky stars it didn't happen at a UK airport ...

[shanagarry]

thank your lucky stars it didn't happen at a UK airport

or in the middle of August

[martin]

according to several news sources they closed the main terminal today for safety reasons, will reopen when weather improves

see here

http://www.algarveresident.com/43251-44 ... ro-airport

[martin]

and here
http://algarvedailynews.com/news/4910-a ... -at-midday

[Farol]

I've just had the following email from Easyjet:

Adverse weather conditions in Faro have resulted in structural damage to the terminal building at Faro Airport and as a result of this there is a large reduction in the number of check-in desks and services that we are able to provide. We strongly advise passengers to check-in online where possible to minimise large queues and delays. On arrival at the airport please be advised easyJet representatives will manage our flights in order of departure time. We are working hard to ensure that your queuing time does not exceed 15-20 minutes.

All flights currently operating to and from the airport are subject to delays due to restrictions imposed by Air Traffic Control.

Sorry for any inconvenience caused, please be rest assured that easyJet are working closely with Faro airport authorities to ensure full services are resumed as soon as possible.

Thank you for your understanding at this time.

Yours sincerely,



easyJet Customer Services

[pointersister]

We flew to Belfast from Faro today and were only delayed for 1 hour which I think is pretty good considering the condition that the terminal building is in. Only half of the building can be used so it is tough coping with large numbers of passengers. If you are travelling I would advise you to take a snack with you 'cos there are no cafes open. Also if you have checked in online go to the left of all the check in desks and join the queue to get through security. We spent a while in the Airline queue before we realised that there was another one. Safe travelling

[joeysoap]

I agree EMM. The Portuguese were very stoical about the situation - and just got on with it.

The Portuguese workforce at the airport did a sterling job keeping the airport moving -

Fully agree with this, airport staff are getting on with their work as best they can. On going back over my situation, I think that were was a delay to 3/4 flights and these people were in the queue to get into the security area and not having anywhere else to go just stayed in that queue. Check in staff of airlines who were NOT being delayed were probably unaware of this and were advising their passengers to join the queue, when in fact most of the queue was going nowhere and were not being allowed into the security area. By perserverance and luck I found out that the Ryanair/Dublin passengers were being allowed through to security (certainly from around 3.20 onwards for a 4.20 departure) but no announcements to this effect were being made by the airport announcer. On the whole the airport staff were outstanding, but having a queue with a mixture of passengers allowed to go to security and others not being allowed to go to security just caused confusion.


But I do agree they are doing a great job in very trying conditions.

[fmm]

On the first day it happened, there was a massive queue of people not going anywhere to the left of security- the airport staff kept telling people over and over again that it was not a queue, but people would not believe them - so just stood there, stationary, for two hours or more.

When a flight was due, the staff walked down shouting and holding placards to ensure that everyone was aware it was their turn to come through and you walked down the side of the queue and through security. But people, even though they were watching this with their own eyes, STILL remaind in a queue that didn't go anywhere!!!

I assume in the end that the staff gave up telling people not to start the queue and let them get on with it!!!

It amused me to see an earlier poster recommending people go and stand in this queue - therefore making the problem worse than it was before!