Faro Airport - Parking rules to pick-up and drop-off passengers

“Kiss & Fly” - new parking rules to pick-up and drop-off passengers

Since May 21 - 2015, Faro Airport has been applying new parking rules to pick up and drop off passengers outside the terminal. Prior to this date rules were almost non-existent and any vehicle would stop on the airport “curbside” with hazard lights on to leave passengers or wait for someone. This situation would often cause traffic congestions and circulation disorder outside the terminal. With the successive growth of passengers at Faro Airport this practice was becoming unbearable.

After the recent rehabilitation works outside the terminal, more clear and effective rules for vehicle circulation and parking at Faro Airport came into practice to promote a better operational efficiency, security and sustainability for all accesses to the terminal building. All traffic lanes and stopping areas are now better organized and the control of vehicles that try to stop on unauthorized locations is now tighter.

In this context, and to facilitate the arrival and departure of passengers, Faro Airport began to apply the “Kiss & Fly” method on specific areas to drop and pick up passengers. This quick-stop locations have specific access rules and well-defined stopping limits. For drivers to be exempted from any payment, vehicles can not stay in this areas for more than 10 minutes. Currently this system is already used in several airports around the world such as Paris-Orly, Prague, Chicago O'Hare, New York JFK, London Gatwick, among others.

The “Kiss & Fly” concept at the departures area can be used both by individuals and by tourism operators or private transport companies. However, for professionals who constantly circulate through the airport to drop or pick up passengers, there are appropriate parks for such companies. Following is a summary of the new parking rules at Faro Airport for individuals and businesses:

Individuals who wish to drop-off passengers - departures

Access to the new “Kiss & Fly” area to drop off passengers next to the terminal departures entrance is preceded by a gate with an automatic control system. The license plate is scanned and the driver is handed a ticket that allows the vehicle to stay in the area for free up to 10 minutes - extra time will be charged. The idea is to keep a constant and fluid circulation of cars and passengers in the area, to prevent congestions and facilitate security control.

Kiss and Fly parking at Faro airport - entrance — Entrance to the the new “Kiss & Fly” parking area at Faro airport - quick-stops to drop-off passengers

Another rule worth mentioning is that each vehicle plate is entitled to the first 10 minutes for free, only for a maximum of two entries in the area for each 24-hour period. Additional entries are allowed but paid with gradual increases. For people wishing to actually park the car to accompany their relatives or friends to the terminal, the alternative is to use the departures park P1 that applies short term tariffs.

Kiss and Fly parking at Faro airport - rules and prices — Rules and prices for vehicles entering the “Kiss & Fly” area next to departures - first 10 minutes free

Individuals who wish to welcome passengers - arrivals

All private vehicles entering Faro Airport to pick up passengers should use the short-term park P2 next to the arrivals area. The gate and access control system at this park also allows 10 minutes of free parking for the first two entries in each 24 hour period - the rules applied here are similar to the “Kiss & Fly” concept in the departures area.

Park P2 at Faro airport - arrivals — Entrance to the the new P2 arrivals park at Faro airport, intended for passengers pick-up

Park P2 at Faro airport - pricing — Entrance to the the new P2 arrivals park at Faro airport, intended for passengers pick-up

Public taxis - departures and arrivals

For leaving passengers at the airport, taxi drivers are allowed to use the “BUS” lane for free, next to the departures cover outside the terminal. To pick up passengers, the previous rules still apply and access to the reserved area for taxis at Faro Airport (covered area next to the arrivals), continues to be granted only to taxi drivers who have paid for the respective fee.

Private taxis, transfers and shuttle services

The restructuring of parking and circulation areas outside the terminal also led to the creation of two specific parks for private transportation companies and tourism operators - parks P5 and P6, the latter being intended only for large buses and coaches. Companies have access to these parks by paying an annual fee although it's not mandatory to use them. But because access to the “Kiss & Fly” departures area and the P2 park for the arrivals only allows two entries for free (10 minutes each) every 24h period, operating at parks P5 and P6 turns out to be more advantageous for businesses, especially for those operating Faro Airport transfers on a daily basis.

Car hire companies without their own parking facilities at the airport

The P4 park has been created for all the car rental companies operating at Faro Airport without their own customer counter inside the terminal and parking area outside - often called "low-cost car hire companies". This park has an infrastructure shared by those car hire businesses, where their clients can collect and return their rental deals - the majority of them already pre-booked through the internet. Companies have access to this park by paying an annual fee according to the number of cars with which they operate at the airport.