Corfu Airport Auto Rental: 10 Mistakes to Avoid When Booking

Corfu rewards the tourist who can go on their own time table. The island appears small on a map however whenever you get off the most important roads, distances feel longer, buses thin out, and taxis upload up shortly. That is why such a lot of travelers decide on up a car or truck the instant they land at Corfu International Airport Ioannis Kapodistrias.

I actually have rented automobiles at Corfu airport for work and vacations, in prime season and in past due October drizzle. The trend is continuously the equal. The those that did a few homework are on the street in 20 mins. The ones who rushed the reserving stand in queues, argue over insurance plan on the table and identify shock rates on their card every week later.

If you favor a sleek Corfu airport automobile apartment trip, the excellent lesson is to appreciate where others move incorrect. The following ten errors are the ones I see by and large at Corfu airport, which include what to do as a replacement.

1. Assuming “airport automotive condominium” perpetually manner on-site

Many travelers seek “Corfu airport motor vehicle condominium” or “employ motor vehicle Corfu airport” and suppose each outcome is in the terminal. It is not really that hassle-free.

At Corfu, a few manufacturers have desks within the arrivals corridor and their autos in the airport parking simply throughout the line. Others perform “meet and greet” or commute providers. You go out arrivals, seek for somebody protecting a small signal, and ride a minibus to an off website lot a few minutes away.

That is just not essentially terrible. Off web page businesses shall be more cost-effective and extra flexible on issues consisting of mileage or added drivers. The worry seems after you are expecting to stroll for your automobile in five minutes and rather lose 40 mins tracking down a trip in 30 level heat after a three hour flight from London.

If you desire a in truth on website online Corfu airport lease a car or truck alternative, verify intently. Look for transparent wording equivalent to “table within terminal” or “on airport”. If the confirmation mentions a commute, assembly element or “place of work four hundred m from terminal”, build that into your timings. It matters on arrival, and it genuinely matters if in case you have an early morning departure and need to drop the automobile and nevertheless payment in on time.

2. Booking handiest on rate and ignoring the insurance coverage structure

I still see employees brag that they discovered the “high-quality motor vehicle condo Corfu airport” for 12 euros a day in August. That base payment is incomprehensible without expertise the assurance.

In Greece, user-friendly insurance plan often contains third party liability and some model of collision spoil waiver (CDW) with a top excess. I even have noticeable excesses from seven hundred to at least one,800 euros for an economy auto. If there's damage, you pay up to that amount until you've got you have got additional hide.

The overall mistakes are two. First, other folks bypass any greater duvet and cross their palms, then spend their break tense about slim streets in Corfu Town. Second, they purchase an “extra refund” policy from a broking website and do now not recognise that the rental provider will still block the entire excess on their card at choice.

A useful way at Corfu airport car or truck condo counters is to make a decision ahead the way you would like to address threat. Some travellers are mushy with a giant deposit given that they've got a solid credit score card and expertise with rental claims. Others sleep better with a “0 excess” equipment that charges greater in line with day yet shrinks the protection block and fiscal publicity.

Read the insurance segment until now you click “Book”. Compare the price of adding full conceal from the apartment visitors with a standalone extra policy from a reputable insurer. There isn't any single perfect reply, yet taking walks up to the desk devoid of a plan is the quickest path to rigidity and expensive upsells.

3. Not checking fuel policy and mileage sooner than confirming

Corfu airport apartment automobiles close to continuously use the related couple of fuel insurance policies. The limitation is that they seem to be comparable at a look, but charge very exceptional amounts over every week.

“Full to full” capability you pick out up the auto with a full tank, return it complete, and only pay for what you operate. This is typically the fairest possibility, fantastically whenever you plan to force round the island.

“Pre buy” or “complete to empty” means you pay for a tank of gas at series and may return it on fumes. It sounds effortless but not often works to your favour until you can still truely use such a lot of the tank and the agency rates fuel at on the point of pump costs plus a small fee. Many do not.

Mileage is an alternate quiet lure. Most Corfu car rental agencies supply unlimited kilometres, which is ideal for exploring Paleokastritsa, Kassiopi, the south coast and inland villages with no focused on distance. A few low expense gives you hide a consistent with kilometre rate above a modest each day reduce.

If your affirmation e-mail is vague or uses phrases you do no longer recognize, electronic mail or message the business enterprise and ask for readability. You desire written affirmation of the two fuel policy and mileage. Verbal motives at a hectic airport desk are hassle-free to misconceive and much more difficult to dispute later.

4. Overlooking riding realities on Corfu whilst deciding on automobile size

Looking at sleek pictures, it truly is tempting to improve to a larger motor vehicle. More house for bags, more desirable air conditioning, maybe even an automatic for convenience. On Corfu, the larger the car, the greater you desire to examine where you propose to pressure.

The street from the airport into Corfu Town is broad ample, but as quickly as you wander into older districts, roads slim to at least one lane with stone partitions on equally facets and tight corners around buildings. Some coastal villages and hilltop settlements are even tighter, with parking that slightly matches a compact hatchback.

If you're staying at a lodge on the primary east coast street, a larger car or truck might not be a complication. If your villa is up a steep lane in the north of the island, a small to medium car or truck with decent vitality and true turning circle is a miles better collection than a cumbersome SUV. I have watched worker's spend 15 mins maneuvering a colossal car out of a lane that became really designed for scooters and donkeys.

For maximum guests, the candy spot for Corfu airport automobile condominium is a small or compact motor vehicle, guide or automated relying on your consolation. Enough boot house for bags, but small ample to slide into tight parking CFU car hire deals spaces and meet oncoming traffic with room to breathe.

five. Ignoring comments of different Corfu airport branches

Many travellers do a quick verify of the manufacturer call and end there. They see a considerable world institution they comprehend from residence, count on a familiar adventure, and reserve. In practice, branch nice can fluctuate broadly.

Search notably for the corporation title plus “Corfu airport” and examine the current opinions for that region. Patterns remember greater than man or women court cases. If one grownup mentions a longer wait time, which will just be a busy Saturday in August. If 20 worker's across 3 months record competitive injury claims or unexplained rates, pay cognizance.

This guidance applies both to regional vendors. Some small Corfu lease a automobile establishments close to the airport are tremendous, with friendly provider and bendy regulations. Others reduce corners or depend upon technicalities to enhance revenue. Reviews by and large make the big difference clean.

A 15 euro big difference on a week’s apartment isn't very well worth an uncongenial argument over “pre existing” scratches you have been on no account allowed time to record.

6. Not making ready your data and card correctly

One of the dullest complications, yet I nevertheless watch it unfold in line on the airport every summer season. The documents for hiring a auto in Greece is straightforward, but there are several really good tips.

You ordinarilly need:

1. A legitimate using licence which you have held for no less than twelve months, often two, based at the visitors and motor vehicle organization.
2. For non EU / EEA drivers from assured international locations, an International Driving Permit alongside your place licence. Check this ahead, on account that you is not going to receive an IDP if you are already in Greece.
3. A credit card in the foremost motive force’s title with sufficient reachable minimize to quilt the deposit or extra block.
4. Passport or countrywide ID card for identification.

Where workers get caught is with the card. Many Corfu airport auto condominium desks do not receive debit cards for the protection deposit, solely for price. Others settle for them yet handiest with luxurious further insurance. Prepaid cards are often refused outright.

If your confirmation does no longer surely kingdom that debit cards are accepted for the deposit, expect you desire a familiar credit card with embossed name and numbers. Also be sure the card restrict is top adequate. I watched a pair from Germany turned away considering that their modest limit couldn't accommodate a 1,500 euro block for the extra plus their motel’s pre authorisation.

Print or keep your confirmation e-mail as a PDF, along with the voucher if you booked by using a broking service. Mobile web at Corfu airport is ordinarilly exceptional, however a dead battery or roaming component could no longer stand among you and your car.

7. Chasing “no deposit” deals with out reading the small print

The phrase “Corfu airport car condominium no deposit” is captivating, above all in case you dislike the theory of hundreds of thousands of euros blocked for your card. Genuine low deposit or no deposit features do exist, however the satan sits in the detail.

Usually, when a enterprise advertises no deposit, it capacity certainly one of two matters. Either they've got developed the threat right into a bigger day-after-day expense with vital full insurance plan, or they may nevertheless grasp a smaller amount as a fuel or visitors exceptional warrantly. Sometimes each.

There is nothing wrong with paying just a little more for the peace of mind that comes from no longer having 1,000 euros frozen on your card. Just be mindful what you're acquiring. Check:

The properly volume they'll cling for your card, if any.

Whether the no deposit offer is tied to a selected insurance coverage package. How they control minor ruin, along with small scratches or chips.

Compare this to a wellknown equipment from some other employer that uses a deposit yet grants decrease charges. Over a week’s trip, the complete price can swing either approach. The worst mistake is to e book at the strength of “no deposit” on my own and then uncover a long checklist of exclusions and further fees in case you attain the desk.

eight. Skipping the inspection and snapshot regimen at pickup

You are tired, the queue has been sluggish, and the sea coast is looking. The agent points to the car, you sign the sort, throw your baggage in the boot and force off. That five minute shortcut can price dearly if there is existing hurt that in no way made it onto the report.

At Corfu airport, wherein dozens of automobiles rotate among renters every week in summer time, small bumps and scrapes are movements. Most groups are fair approximately this and mark the entirety they understand. Some usually are not thorough, fairly at top instances.

Treat your inspection as component of the apartment, now not a nuisance. Walk round the car, test each panel, the wheels, and the front and rear bumpers principally. Pay realization to:

Small scratches and dents.

Alloy wheel scuffs and hubcap injury. Chips or cracks within the windscreen. Any ruin on the roof if you are tall sufficient or can see from an attitude.

Photograph every part, even trouble which might be already marked. Capture the car from every corner, the odometer interpreting, and the gas gauge. Time stamped pictures in your mobile create a rfile it truly is difficult to argue with later.

Encourage the team member so as to add any lacking marks to the sort ahead of you signal. If they look reluctant, stay well mannered but corporation. A short time here is valued at a long way more than an angry e mail alternate after you return home.

9. Forgetting to plan parking and access at your accommodation

Corfu airport vehicle condo is the trouble-free piece. The tougher part, certainly in top season, is residing with the auto while you succeed in your lodging.

Many outdated villages and a few areas of Corfu Town have very confined parking. Some beachfront inns have exclusive a whole lot, others remember fully on public areas that refill shortly in July and August. Steep inner most driveways are popular for villas, routinely with awkward angles and free gravel.

Before you ebook, ask your accommodation about parking in precise, purposeful terms. Do now not accept “parking accessible”. Ask no matter if that is private or public, what number areas they have, how tight the access is, and whether or not better vehicles are compatible conveniently.

This need to have an impact on no longer best your determination of rental automobile length, as pointed out until now, however additionally whether you even want a car or truck in your total stay. For example, whenever you are spending three nights in Corfu Town and then a week in a north coast village, you're able to do more advantageous to spend the first section on foot and taxis, then manage a Corfu airport automobile condo beginning at the day you go away city.

Thinking in segments like it will shop cost, parking complications and the stress of threading a car by the the city’s one approach procedure once you are still jet lagged.

10. Returning the automobile in a rush and neglecting the basics

I even have misplaced count of how many disputes delivery at drop off since the renter is hurrying to trap a flight. When you are dashing, you overlook gas, you park wherein you aren't presupposed to, or you quit keys devoid of checking the final bureaucracy.

Give your self a proper buffer for return. If your flight is at thirteen:00, do now not plan to roll into the car park at eleven:forty five, relatively when you rented off website online and need a trip ride to come back to the terminal.

At return, objective to:

1. Refill the tank at a station with reference to the airport in the event you are on a complete to complete coverage. Keep the receipt. There are a couple of petrol stations within a short drive, but some would be busy.
2. Remove all confidential gifts from the auto, along with door pockets and beneath seats.
3. Walk across the motor vehicle with the agent the place imaginable and ask them to be certain in writing that the automobile is again without a new harm and with a full tank if proper.
4. Take closing pix, including the gas gauge and odometer.

If you need use a key drop field seeing that you're returning open air place of job hours, photos and a instant video walkaround was even more terrific. Corfu airport appoint a auto providers most often care for these returns pretty, but a transparent visible document protects you in case a brand new dent looks at the inspection sheet later.

A speedy pre booking checklist

Used neatly, a automotive turns Corfu into a flexible, ordinary island to explore. Used badly, it will become a thread of hysteria walking as a result of your excursion. Before you commit to any airport car or truck lease Corfu deal, run due to this brief record.

1. Verify if the service provider is on airport or off web site with a trip, and the way that impacts your timings.
2. Read latest reports above all for the Corfu airport department, no longer simply the logo.
3. Compare whole can charge, together with insurance, gasoline coverage and any mileage limits, not just the base on daily basis charge.
4. Check parking and get entry to at your accommodation and go with motor vehicle size as a consequence.
5. Confirm what playing cards and information you desire and regardless of whether any “no deposit” supply has restrictive stipulations.

Handled with this degree of focus, Corfu airport condo cars believe less like a big gamble and more like a nicely managed instrument for your commute.

Final feelings from the queue at Corfu airport

If you spend 30 minutes within the arrivals hall on a busy afternoon, you might nearly expect who will breeze simply by and who will emerge as frustrated. The ones with published confirmations, clean choices on insurance and real looking expectations approximately the auto and the island have a tendency to depart smiling. The ones who booked on price by myself and did not examine a notice of the terms are the ones arguing at the desk.

Corfu automotive condominium does no longer must be tough. It is without difficulty a remember of matching the actuality at the floor together with your possess tolerance for chance, funds and driving confidence. Look beyond headline expenses, realise how assurance and deposits paintings, decide upon the good dimension of car or truck for Corfu’s roads, and supply yourself time at either pickup and return.

Do that, and your hire a vehicle at Corfu corfu airport car rental deals airport becomes what it must always be: an mild gateway to mountain villages, quiet shores and late dinners in small tavernas, in your personal clock in preference to any person else’s.