A new hire car fee of €15 has been introduced for car rentals collected from mainland Portuguese airport car parks from March 2015. This is as a result of new charges recently introduced by the Portuguese Airport Authority (ANA).
This will apply to every car hire supplier operating at Faro Airport, Lisbon Airport and Oporto Airport where vehicles are collected from airport car parks. It is not just those who operate with Economy Car Hire who are affected.
Portuguese news network SIC Notícias spoke to hotel and tourism chiefs in the Algarve to get their take on the situation (in Portuguese).
The facts
The Portuguese Airport Authority (ANA) are applying a fee each time a rental company wishes to bring a vehicle onto the airport grounds to hire to a customer with a pre booked reservation.
The initial charge levied by the ANA is €9. After conducting extensive research, the Portuguese Car Rental Association have advised local operators to implement a €15 charge.
This is because the €9 charged by ANA/VINCI only allows the car to be in the airport car park for 1 hour at a time. The vehicle is normally in the airport car park for an average of 1 hour 30 minutes. A further charge of €1 per 15 minutes is applied after the initial hour has elapsed.
The €15 also takes into consideration administration and logistical charges that are incurred by the car rental companies in ensuring that this new procedure is followed correctly.
At present it will only apply to mainland Portuguese airports including Lisbon, Oporto and Faro. It’s understood that the ANA are also considering applying the charge to rental cars collected from airport car parks in Madeira and the Azores.
The charge will not apply to any car hire supplier that has a service desk in the airport or operates a shuttle bus service to a depot off-site.
ANA was acquired by the private French consortium VINCI in 2012. Since then, they have been trying to introduce extra charges to boost revenues.
The local car hire companies are currently taking legal action against the airport to avoid this fee in the future.
Locations that are currently affected
At the moment, the charge applies to collections from airport car parks in Lisbon, Oporto and Faro.
How to pay the charge
When collecting a vehicle, you will have to pay the €15 directly to the car hire supplier. They will then pass this onto the ANA. The supplier will advise upon collection whether the fee can be paid in cash or by credit card. If you would like more information regarding this prior to collection, please contact us and we will advise accordingly.
Which suppliers are affected?
Faro Airport
Hiring with the following companies means you will incur the €15 local charge.
- Masterkings
- TravelRent
- Rent it Simple
- Rent Car 4 Less
- RentAuto
- Drive4Fun
- Luzcar
- Lagorent
These suppliers are not subject to the fee:
- Drive on Holidays (off-site)
- Dollar (desk in airport)
- Hertz (desk in airport)
Lisbon Airport
Hiring with the following companies means you will incur the €15 local charge.
- Rent Car 4 Less
- RentAuto
These suppliers are not subject to the fee:
- Drive on Holidays (off-site)
- Sadorent (off-site)
- Dollar (desk in airport)
- Hertz (desk in airport)
Oporto Airport
None of the suppliers that we work at Oporto Airport are affected by this charge. This is because they are either located off-site or have a desk in the airport
- Drive on Holidays (off-site)
- Sadorent (off-site)
- Dollar (desk in airport)
- Hertz (desk in airport)
Where can I find information about the charge on your website?
We have updated our website to display information regarding this charge when you obtain a quotation. Simply get a quote, then click the Show Rental Conditions link displayed underneath each vehicle. Under the heading Collection Information you can whether a charge is applicable or not.
Will you let us know if the charge is also applied to Madeira and the Azores?
Yes. We will contact all affected customers should this charge be levied on car rentals collected from airport car parks in Madeira and the Azores.
If you have any further questions regarding this charge and how it will affect your booking. Please get in touch with us.
I was also charged 20 Euros when I hired a car from Faro airport for tool charges even though I wouldn’t be using that much in toll charges…. I never got the difference back… More Rip-Off cHarges
Hi Des,
The issue you mention is not actually caused by the supplier but by the Toll Transponder system itself. The supplier is unable to claim back any unused credit to refund customers and this basically goes to the central government. If you feel you have been ripped off, please contact customerrelations@economycarhire.com who will gladly look into this for you.
Kind regards,
Mark
Economy Car Hire
We have booked through Avis – is their desk considered to be out of the terminal?
Hello Alex,
Avis do have a desk in the airport terminal at Faro, therefore they will not levy a €15 charge upon collection.
If I can help any further, please let me know.
Kind regards
Gemma
Economy Car Hire
I only hope that the time to get the car improves. It took over 1 hour to sign for the car last July. One company busy and many others just standing there doing nothing. I will not be coming to Portugal this year after 20+ years. It is time that Portugal realised that without us holiday makers their economy will continue to fall.
We returned from the Algave on the 13th, having had an exciting time returning the Master Kings rental car. We and 3 other cars arrived at the barrier to P4 the usual place to park the cars, to find that the ‘thingy’ in the car that automatically opens the barrier had been disabled. The concrete bunker ‘office’ on the other side of the carpark, was empty as was the carpark, save for 2 ‘chaps’ chatting by the trolleys near the office. Hmmm.what to do with the car?? Drive around the airport in convoy, looking for a notice, someone with a clipboard…..some suggestion, but back at the gate we had found nothing, when suddenly the woman from Master King appeared from nowhere and told us to leave the car in the gate approach, to get a trolley and off load our cases. The car next to us was not one of hers, so they were about to drive around again when one of the chaps started shouting something. To whom no-one was sure. It turned out that he was the rep from their hire company….but they were inside the car, and they were several tens of meters away.
It has to be said that once cars were reunited with staff, all went well……….but these companies knew that they had customers with cars out on hire. They knew their plans to deal with the new situation, and even if they did not have contact numbers and emails, they knew an agent who did!. Would it not have been possible to contact customers to explain the new tactics?? Given that it is the low season there cannot be an impossible number of hirers affected by the return of cars. joined-up thinking’ hmmmmm
One again another Tax on the holiday makers it seems That Portugal will not be Happy until the holiday makers stop coming
And then they will bleat that the economy is suffering and wonder why!!!,
We have been hiring cars via ECH from Travel rent up to 3 times a year for the past 8 years maybe its time for a change and take our money to another country.
Is there no end to the day light robery carried out on hire car uses in Portugal. First we have to pay €20 minimum to use the toll road, which the Portugese did not pay for.Taxi drivers saw this as an opertunity to make money and have for some time been over charging for toll road useage. Now €15 for using the airport as a pick up point, It’s no wonder the Brits are going eslewhere.It’s now cheaper to go first class to Lisbon by train than by taxi to Lagos.
Regards
I’ve been using economy car hire for years from Faro and have not really had any issues. One of the big attractions is no add-ons…. however add-ons are now becoming increasingly familiar. We have add ons for entry into Spain, add ons for transponder rental and now an add on for hiring a car from the portacabin.
I hope the car hire companies can find a location outside the airport and run a shuttle bus to there, thus starving the airports owners of this ridiculous charge.
I fully appreciate all of the comments regarding the greed of ANA and the general reluctance to reduce pricing to encourage tourism and a good example is the price of golf!
However, as I send this I am fortunate enough to be sat by the pool in Naples, Florida enjoying the sun and taking advantage this week of my first ECH rental in the states. ECH had been my preferred choice in Portugal for many years (I use Travelrent) and the service of both companies is excellent. Whilst regrettable, in the grand scheme of things this charge is a small addition to an overall excellent rate. Of course my concern as I am sure other share is that this new charge will increase.
Keep up the good work ECH.
Dear Colin Henderson
I think your aggressive attack on the Algarve was surprising given the low cost of car hire generally and the cost of living in the entire of the Algarve – best you stay in England and pay those prices…please
Yes, the additional cost by ANA is disappointing but if it was just added to your car cost, this outrage would not have occurred.
It is a shame for all the CP4 operators who are losing so much business because of people like you.
Why not have all the car hire suppliers get together and go of site on mass
Re 9euro ANA charge/15euros car hire company charge.If my flight is delayed over the nominal 1hr 30minutes will this result in extra charge.
Dear Mr Tarr,
The €15 charge levied upon collection takes into account flight delays, so you will not be charged any extra airport surcharge in this event.
Kind regards
Gemma
Economy Car Hire
I have been using Economy Car Hire for several years to hire cars from the smaller companies that operate out of car park 4 at Faro Airport. The service has been good and works well. I had booked my hire car with Drive4fun prior to this announcement, which, I am sorry to say, is likely to be the last time that I use this service.
There’s something about Portugal in that they just don’t get it…ever!! They never reduce prices on anything and always seem to be prepared to ‘sit it out’ in the hope that people will be stupid enough to pay the higher price.
It seems pretty clear to me that ANA want rid of the smaller car hire companies from their airports and have decided that punishing the tourists is the best way to achieve that goal! 15 Euros to walk across a car park is plainly ridiculous.
What they also ‘don’t get’ is that the tourists will take their money somewhere else, so they are ‘shooting themselves in the foot’ by imposing this ludicrous charge. Tourism is the lifeblood of the Algarve and if they drive the tourists away, they will have nothing, although I’m sure that the French owners of ANA don’t really care about the jobs of the people in the Algarve!! There is only one word that I can think of as far as ANA is concerned…GREED!!!!
Dear Mr Henderson,
I am sorry to hear of your frustration with the new charge in Portugal. I hope that despite the new charges, you do decide to visit Portugal again. I hope that the hire you have coming up with Drive4Fun goes well.
Kind regards
Gemma
Economy Car Hire
I have 2 bookings paid for in February will I still have to pay the surcharge?
Dear Mr Townsend,
Unfortunately, the surcharge is applied to any bookings due to take place after 1st March 2015, regardless of when the booking was actually made. We sent an email a few weeks ago to all affected customers advising of this, I apologise that you did not receive this.
As vehicles with RentAuto are collected from the airport car park, I am afraid that you will have to pay €15 upon collection. If I can help any further, please let me know.
Kind regards
Gemma
Economy Car Hire
Bite the hand that feeds you!We are such an easy target. The ‘big’ boys Ertz etc are going to have their way, double the charge if not more , they should become far more efficient and drastically lower their prices. Some hope! Lets all scratch each others backs! Nasty smell to me!
I have hired a car at Faro airport from 25th April do i still have to pay the 15 euros tax?
Dear Mr Proctor,
The €15 surcharge will be applied to all bookings due to take place after 1st March 2015, regardless of when the bookings were made. This does mean that unfortunately, you will have to pay the fee upon collection.
We did contact all affected customers about this a few weeks ago, I apologise that you did not receive this. If you have any further questions, please let me know.
Kind regards
Gemma
Economy Car Hire
When returning our hire car to Faro on 5th March we were met outside the airport parking area in order to avoid having to pay the fee.No fee had been in force when we collected the car We were also asked whether in future we would prefer to pay the fee and pick up the car at the airport or take a shuttle and pick up the car at an off airport office. We told them we would prefer the shuttle option. I guess we will have to wait and see what develops.
Dear Mr Romer,
Thank you for letting us know. I will make sure that the Product/ Supplier Team are aware of this. Some suppliers are considering moving off-site as a result of this fee being introduced. It will take some time before we will know who decides to change their meeting instructions. In the event of any changes, we will let customers know.
Kind regards
Gemma
Economy Car Hire
I am amazed that ANA are charging the 15 euros per hire car – surely they must realise that customers are visitors to Portugal and will be increasing the Portugese economy. This charge will no doubt increase their profits, however, in the longer term it may well decrease the Portugese economy with customers withdrawing their car hiring from outside the airportand having to hire at the desks at the airport(at normally a higher hire charge)
Varying reports on this matter, you have already replied to me concerning this new additional fee. Ana say they have not set the 15 euro fee but the car hire firms have, recent news suggests that the fee they are charging the companies has been reduced so why have the car hire suppliers not reduced the charge to customers? I am a regular customer of yours and Travelrent, I have a car booked again on the 29th April
Thank you
Ray Green
Dear Mr Green,
ANA/ VINCI have sent out a standardised response to all clients who have contacted them in relation to the new airport surcharge. With regard to the amount of the charge, the fee is actually applied each time a rental company wishes to bring a vehicle onto the airport grounds to hire to a customer with a pre booked reservation. However, operators who have a desk inside the terminal are exempt from this charge.
The initial charge is stated in the documentation as being 9 EUR. After conducting extensive research, the Portuguese Car Rental Association have advised local operators to implement a 15 EUR charge. This is because the 9 EUR charged by ANA/VINCI only allows the car to be in the airport car park for 1 hour at a time. The vehicle is normally in the airport car park for an average of 1 hour 30 minutes. A further charge of 1 EUR per 15 minutes is applied after the initial hour has elapsed. The 15 EUR also takes into consideration administration and logistical charges that are incurred by the car rental companies in ensuring that this new procedure is followed correctly.
I hope that this helps to clarify the situation for you. If you have any further questions, please let me know.
Kind regards
Gemma
Economy Car Hire
Not verry happy about the charge