Athens airport charges drivers waiting to pick up flight passengers

The management of Athens international airport “Eleftherios Venizelos” has installed an automatic system with tilting bars in the arrivals area, charging one euro per minute..

The aim is to charge the drivers of the cars waiting to pick up arriving passengers on domestic or international flights.

According to newspaper citing a report by state-run ERT newspaper topontiki,gr noted that there is no provision for those who are waiting for passengers whose flight has been delayed – a common occurrence – or passengers are being forced to wait for delayed luggage arrival or even missing luggage.

One euro per minute, tough measures if longer

Pricing will be reportedly quite steep, only the first 10 minutes will be free of charge.

With the price rising incrementally, the management of “Eleftherios Venizelos” decided that the cost after the first quarter of an hour is 5 euros.

For first twenty minutes, the fee will be 1 euro per minute.

If the driver exceeds one hour stay, then the vehicle will be removed form the area by a crane.

 

The increased cost also affects the vans that serve travelers daily from the parking lots outside the airport, as now the passage and stay lasting 10 minutes, within the same day, costs 5 euros.

EL-VEL Management comment

Payment will be made at the exit. To those who complain, the airport administration states that “there is always the solution of parking, short or long term, where the pricing is cheaper and the first twenty minutes of stay are free.”

“This change was made to avoid overcrowding in the arrivals and departures area,” the management reportedly commented on the criticism.