Faro Airport

Faro Airport is currently a building site with totally inadequate signage for travellers arriving. Is never the most friendly but in its present state is best avoided. Staff there seem be be recruited for their rudeness and lack of courtesy they seem to forget that it is travellers who pay their their wages.

I have flown into this airport dozens of times but I have never experienced problems before. On arriving at passport control my fellow passengers and I were faced with a completely full hall. It was like a football crowd. We even had to queue to join the queue. It was dangerous and frightening and I dread to think what would have happened had there been an emergency. At one point people were chanting help, help. A wait of over 90 minutes is just not acceptable after a flight. Appalling.

The worst experience at Faro airport and the list of problems is endless, from poor cleanliness to inhospitable staff attitudes which doesn't reflect The Algarve at all. Having had a wonderful week with genuinely lovely Portuguese people it was completely spoiled by airport staff. Not a smile or a hint of help obvious, by a country that loves to invite you in and then sends you off with a terrible reception. 20 minutes to check bags in, followed by 1.5 hours security queue. Another 1.5 hours endured in another queue for immigration. All very necessary I'm sure but surely pick up the professionalism and get some staff in to prevent this ridiculous situation. Charm school wouldn't hurt either. It's not as if the airport isn't geared up for it every weekend, they know the increased schedule. Will drive from Spain in future.

Arrival was decent, fairly quick through passport control and speedy bag pick up. Transfer area a bit of a pain but not too bad. Departure was a different story. Check in and security had lengthy queues but moved fairly rapidly with polite staff. Retail areas decentish. Passport control diabolical. Seperate queues for electronic self service and manual checking. Went through electronic scanners - was only letting about 1:50 passengers through. No staff to assist. Last calls announced for flights and one exceptionally ignorant customs officer who eventually found her way through the 600+ passengers to try and sort out the mess. Woefully inadequate for a holiday airport, a real blight on a beautiful country with some of the most hospitable and welcoming people I've had the pleasure to meet! Next time will rent a car and self drive from Lisbon if that's any better.

This is our home airport and we find the staff friendly and helpful. Even at peak times we get through security in 10 minutes. On our last visit we got past emigration to find the coffee machine in the departure area café was broken, so apparently against regulations and after a chat with the senior officer, we were allowed to return to the main lounge for our pre-flight coffees. I cannot see that happening at many other airports. There is ample seating but the eating places are a bit limited and expensive and our only real gripe is that the prices in the 'Duty Free' shop are 15-30% more than in the local shops! The lounge is not worth bothering with - no views, poor selection of food and generally pretty dull. The arrival/departure drop-off has been under construction for years but is now coming to completion and is efficient and 10 minutes no charge - unlike the UK airports.

Terrible old airport without adequate seating for the vast hordes of people going through there. Inadequate technology, move into the 21st century. Its still operating in a time warp more like the 1980s. Unfriendly immigration staff, they should realise people are coming to spend money. Very grim and chaotic place to be, should be vastly expanded. The government should put their hands in their very long pockets,.

Arrivals at Faro are not too bad, queues at passport control manageable and baggage reclaim relatively quick. Obviously, as a holiday airport there are people milling around in arrivals looking for car rental and transfers but it all seems to work ok. Departing from Faro is a different story. Expect long, slow check in lines and repeat the experience at security. There's never any sign of anyone organising or controlling the system. Goodness knows what it's like in July and August. On my last visit, the Gents toilets stank, most of the soap dispensers at the sinks were empty, there were no paper towels to dry your hands and the hot air dryers didn't work. Food and drink (such as is available) is poor and ridiculously overpriced. There was litter everywhere. The whole place is a classic example of the "if you don't like it you can stick it up your bum" attitude that pervades so many airport operations. The Portuguese are wonderful, generous hospitable people. You'd not know it from travelling through Faro Airport

Airport lounge at Faro was terrible 1 choice of awful sandwich and fruit salad. Debris all over as cleaner was sitting on chair making phone call. Actually left the lounge and bought a sandwich at subway. Complained there and complained back home to airport directly and Lounge Pass who we booked through. Both not interested. Do not pay to visit Faro lounge.

Just awful. Incredibly rude staff on the security at bag scan. Just making up rules for different passengers which were impossible to comply with on total power trip. Very upsetting. Awful experience.

The most awful airport I have ever had to use. No daylight. In front of security checkpoint there are bottles over bottles on the floor which are not removed. No free WiFi not even for 30 minutes as at most other airports. I carried by accident a pepper spray into plane and no one realized. Unfriendly staff. Half of the shops are closed or are being renovated. After baggage drop off you can't find anything to carry your heavy hand luggage. Waiting are at gate opens only 50 min before departure therefore you have to wait in the dark hall with no daylight. Dirty windows in waiting area A 52. Very dirty and disgusting toilets.