Changes to Returning Hire Cars at the Airport

[graham]

Does anyone have any info about changed procedure for returning hire cars at the airport? I was there today picking someone up and noticed that the signs have changed.

 

[lollipop]

I think a lot of the car hires are now situated on floor 1 of the car park.

 

[Gp1602]

Yes the only change is that you enter the car park in a different place. Just follow the signs as the entrance is now earlier on than it used to be. When you arrive you drive up to a barrier, it must register your number plate and then the barrier opens. Everything after that was the same for us. We used Record so once inside just parked in their area and same as usual. The new entrance is to the left as you drive towards the car park. It os really well signposted.

 

[Beachbaby]

Glad I spotted this thread as I was all ready to go right round the side as we did a couple of years ago. Also, can anyone suggest best route back to the airport at around 9am. Don't wan to get stuck in rush hour traffic near Palma!
Thanks

 

[marilyn]

We always collect and return our cars from Terrys on Level 3 and enter carpark via entrances to the left of the entrance for the Ground Floor. Does anyone know if this has changed?

 

[Gp1602]

As far as I could see to drop your car off on any level you had to follow the sign it says "car rental return". If you go round to other side you can only enter the car park to park or drive back out again. You can't get in on the other side any more so I would imagine you will enter ground floor via the new signs and drive up?

 

[joey36]

Glad I spotted this thread as I was all ready to go right round the side as we did a couple of years ago. Also, can anyone suggest best route back to the airport at around 9am. Don't wan to get stuck in rush hour traffic near Palma!
Thanks

We invariably get stuck in the rush hour traffic in the morning,however on our last visit our taxi driver left the main road and took a route which virtually followed the path of the new road that is being built to the airport.It was quite circuitous but got us there a lot quicker than the usual route.

 

[lollipop]

Marilyn, the only difference is you take a ticket as you enter the car park and not as you enter level 3.

 

[Disorderly]

In August the drop off was total chaos. It had been introduced the week before and there were long queues to get in. We hired from the excellent Sixt, but everyone had to drive through their drop off area to reach their own.....result, bedlam! Hopefully the early teething troubles have been addressed.

 

[copper]

Slightly off topic !
Normally go back on Sunday when traffic is light and leave Port at 8 to get there for 9 but this time it's a Thursday so how long should we allow ? Thanks

 

[marilyn]

Marilyn, the only difference is you take a ticket as you enter the car park and not as you enter level 3.

Thanks Lollipop. Looks like it may take a little longer than before, if all the hire cars are having to queue to get though the same barrier into that part of the carpark.

 

[marilyn]

Slightly off topic !
Normally go back on Sunday when traffic is light and leave Port at 8 to get there for 9 but this time it's a Thursday so how long should we allow ? Thanks

Copper, I think it depends on the time of day and time of year. We usually go back on a weekday on a 3.30 flight and leave the Port at just after noon. The road journey is usually an hour mas o menos but I like to make sure we get to the airport terminal a couple of hours before the flight, so leave plenty of time to return the car and check in the hold luggage.

 

[copper]

Thank you We like to be there 2 hours before as well as you never know what check in will be like !

 

[Gommar Goffer]

it's easiest to come of the motorway at Al Campo and go across country on the new road, avoiding possible delays in Palma. it is all very well singposted.

 

[smg]

not been that way for a while, as we usually end up departing midnight ish, but easy enough route, signposted, & head for the oil storage tanks.....clear to see on google earth, if you have that....

 

[Beachbaby]

Returned car to Goldcar on 19 Sept. Went via Al Campo turn off but ran into roadworks. Bit of a panic on as the diversions signs to the airport took us on a route we had never been on before! Followed signs for car rental returns and came to the car par barrier which thankfully recognised the car. Easy peasy in the end. Thanks to all for responses.

 

[manda]

Came back last week and just word of warning. We took the old way round rather than coming on the new road and got stuck in traffic on the motorway. The cause is the new shopping centre they have built near to the airport. Luckily we were only dropping car back to get taxi back to Palma. We had similar issue 3 days later when getting taxi yo airport @ 8:30... Just make sure you allow little longer than usual going back to airport as this shopping centre appears to have caused chaos all around the area....