Faro Airport

Not Verified | When we arrived at Faro Airport the passport control was horrendous, it took over 50 minutes to get through and there was no organisation, loads of pushing and shoving from people as there is no queuing system. On departure day we was picked up by Jet2 private transfer and arrived at the airport 2 hours 30minutes before our departure time. There were 5 Jet2 planes all leaving within 5 minutes as each other so check in was extremely busy and took 50 minutes. Security checks were very quick but then we then had to join a massive queue for passport control. Everyone was pushing in front of each and again there was no organisation from airport staff. After about 50 minutes of queuing security removed some barriers and everyone at the back of the queue ended up pushing in front of us that had been queuing for all that time. Our gate had been announced and the plane was being boarded but we was nowhere near the passport control. We felt like a herd of cattle just being pushed along and we had small children. We had 20 minutes until our flight was due to set off and we were still in the queue for passport control ago with a group of gentlemen, we had to get the attention of a security guard to explain that we was going to miss our plane through no fault of our own, they let us cut the queue but we then had to run to the plane as our gate was the furthest away, we didn't have chance to buy water for the children or let them go to the toilet. Horrendous experience.

Not Verified | Rental car drop off was super easy. Check-in easy. Security was ok, limited queues. Passport control was chaos. Total chaos. Completely overwhelmed capacity in the passport hall. It required additional staff to manage the queues. Outside of the formal lines it was a free for all. Not all booths were open. Total 40-50mins to get through. And then through to the main departures lounge which is obviously too small for the volume of passengers at peak times. The airport needs extending and revamping.

✅ Trip Verified | The capacity of area A in Faro is presumably too low at specific times. When we flew last Monday morning, gate "22-24" had to manage a flight to Porto and a flight to Baden-Baden with departure times of 10 min difference. So, constantly people for both flights came to the counters showing their boarding passes and were rejected, when they flew to Baden-Baden. The crowd of rejected passengers grew bigger and bigger along the hallway in front of the counters. The announcement was for Porto but people standing at the end of the line didn't know whether they were in the right line and should wait. Many pushed themselves to the 2 open counters and waited in the growing crowd - aggravating the chaos. Finally, when boarding for Porto was nearly finished, the staff tried to organize the queue. They shouted at waiting people in a very unfriendly way: "To the wall". When starting the boarding for Baden-Baden flight, staff members rejected to let passengers pass which they thought hadn't followed their commands or had complained. Airport management should improve boarding processes by staggering the boarding according to flight times!

✅ Trip Verified | Some parts of this airport are fine e.g. bag drop/check in had no queues, 15 minutes to get through security, 15 minutes to get through passport control. The rest is extremely poor. Not enough seats by some distance. We had to sit on the floor plus our flight was delayed by over an hour which didn’t help. It’s also extremely hot. The only part which has working air conditioning is the duty free shops and food court - if they aren’t selling you something you can fry. And we were flying after 9pm in October, god knows what it is like middle of the day in summer.

Not Verified | Absolutely chaos at Faro Airport departures on 16th October. Huge queues for passport control. People pushing and shoving to get to the front of the queue as they were afraid of missing their flight. Apparently someone said they have never known it this bad. We love Portugal but It has really put us off going again.

✅ Trip Verified | I travelled from Faro to Manchester today. It was total chaos. People were herded like cattle both on the flat and on stairs. I can’t believe that any airport in the modern world would allow such a dangerous situation like I saw today. I have never seen anything like it at any other airport in the world. It’s dangerous.

✅ Trip Verified | Absolutely worst Airport ever! Couldn't believe it in this day and age. No excuses for the lack of sanitation. Dirt everywhere, Toilets reek no soap, bins over flowing with rubbish, looks like they haven't been cleaned in months! no Air conditioning at 30 degrees, Will never fly there again. First and last time.

Not Verified | Staff attitude really stinks in some parts (particularly Transavia check-in where they alternate between barely acknowledging your existence and bristling for an argument) but is, at best, ok in others. Area A offers terrible food at (obviously, it’s an airport) massively inflated prices and again, the staff at the counter treat you like you’re something off the bottom of their shoe. Sadly there are no alternatives, so hum pleasantly to yourself and take your own food.

Not Verified | Horrendous experience at Faro Airport both arriving on 22.5.2022 and departing on 29.05.22 you expect to queue but this is a new level. No queues just crowds of people being herded together, treated like animals if you do manage to speak to airport staff you are treated with distain. My self and husband travelled to Portugal in March and put it down to staff shortage and stupidly, thought it might be better but it was worse we have both agreed that we will never use this airport again.

Not Verified | In a queue for passport control and only lanes open are the All Passports. EU passport lanes closed. In Ireland we treat our EU partners better than this, shame on you Portugal