Vehicle handover at Stuttgart Airport: photos, keys and report
Published on · updated on
No car parks can be booked through Friend-Park at Stuttgart Airport yet.
As soon as a partner is activated, you will find their offers with real prices on the airport page.
Whether you hand the key to a driver with valet or leave your car at the shuttle provider: clean documentation of the vehicle's condition protects you and the provider alike. Otherwise a scratch on the bumper or a stone chip in the windscreen is quickly noticed after the holiday – and nobody knows exactly when it happened. At Stuttgart Airport there is the added factor that many high-quality vehicles, leased cars and company cars are on the road in the region, where every dent counts. This guide shows how to document the handover completely in a few minutes.
Key facts at a glance
- Photograph systematically: all around, details, interior, gauges.
- Read the handover report and have missing existing damage added.
- Hand over only the vehicle key.
- On return, check immediately and report anything unusual on the spot.
Why documentation is so important
Photos with date and time are the best evidence in the event of a dispute. They show the condition in which the car was handed over and help to attribute new damage clearly. Conversely, they protect the provider against claims for damage that was already there. Reputable providers are therefore interested in joint documentation. Take the two or three minutes – even if the holiday flight is pressing.
Photographing systematically
Start at the front on the driver's side and walk once around the car. Photograph each side completely, then the details: front and rear bumpers, all four wheel rims, wing mirrors, door edges, windscreen and rear window, and the roof as far as visible. Then the interior, seats, boot, mileage and fuel or battery gauge with the ignition on. A steady video around the car adds to the photos but does not replace them, because videos often show details blurred. Save all the pictures in a separate album.
Light and weather on the Filder plateau
On the Filder plateau it is often windy, foggy in autumn and frosty in winter. Fog and drizzle quickly make photos blurry, and wet paint hides fine scratches. Wipe the camera lens before taking photos and photograph from several angles. In the dark, for example before an early flight, use your phone torch and get closer; light at an angle makes scratches more visible. If you like, take the all-round photos at home in the garage and only add the mileage and fuel gauge at the meeting point.
The handover report
Many providers create a report – on paper, as a sketch or digitally in an app. It should contain the date, time, registration number, mileage, fuel or battery level and known existing damage. Read it before you confirm. If any existing damage is missing, have it added. Do not sign anything that does not reflect the actual condition, and keep your copy until after the return.
Handing over the key correctly
Hand over only the vehicle key. House keys, letterbox keys, garage door openers and key tags with your address stay with you, because they allow conclusions to be drawn about your home. Keep the spare key at home, not in the car. For vehicles with a key card, smartphone key or digital access, clarify with the provider beforehand how the handover works. Some manufacturers allow time-limited sharing.
What stays in the car – and what doesn't
Child seats, hi-vis vest, first-aid kit and warning triangle stay in the car. Take cash, laptops, tablets, satnavs, sunglasses and documents with you. The vehicle registration document does not belong in the glove compartment. On longer trips, remove food and drinks that can spoil in summer or burst in winter. A tidy interior also makes documentation easier.
Electric cars, hybrids and driver assistance systems
The Stuttgart region is home to major car manufacturers, and accordingly many modern vehicles with sophisticated technology park on the Filder plateau. Briefly instruct the driver if your car requires special operation: electric parking brake, automatic parking, unusual start procedure, sensitive front splitter. With electric cars, photograph the charge level. If the provider offers charging as an additional service, this is stated in the description. Car apps with location sharing keep running – this is normal.
Leased, company and hire cars
When leased cars are returned, damage is often checked and charged precisely. That makes complete documentation at every handover all the more important. Also check whether your contract or your employer allows the car to be handed over to a valet driver. Keep photos and the report at least until the end of the contract.
Look carefully on return
After landing you are tired, the children are whining and everyone wants to go home. Nevertheless, two minutes are worthwhile: walk once around the car, with a light in the dark, compare with the handover photos, check the mileage. If you notice anything, raise it immediately and have it recorded in writing before you drive off. More: Returning: collecting your car at Stuttgart Airport.
If you notice damage
- Photograph the damage together with its surroundings.
- Inform the provider's staff member and have it recorded in writing.
- Have your handover photos to hand.
- Contact the provider in writing; for Friend-Park bookings, also contact our support via the contact form.
Damage only discovered at home?
If you only notice damage the next day in daylight, report it to the provider in writing immediately – with photos, your booking number and your handover photos. The more time passes, the harder it is to attribute.
Parking site and security
Good providers describe openly where the cars are parked: fenced, lit, under video surveillance, outdoors or in a hall. This information helps with the choice, as does the answer to the question of whether the site is permanently staffed. Further criteria: Choosing a parking service at Stuttgart Airport.
A procedure in seven steps
- Tidy up at home: remove valuables, documents and the garage door opener from the car.
- Separate your key ring, take only the vehicle key.
- At the meeting point, walk around the car with the driver.
- Take photos and a short video.
- Photograph the mileage and the fuel or battery gauge.
- Read the report, add existing damage, take the receipt.
- Briefly explain any special features of the car.
Handover with children
With children on board, the handover can quickly become hectic. Agree beforehand who does what: one adult looks after the children and hand luggage and waits in a safe place away from the traffic lane, while the other walks around the car with the driver. That way the children stay safe and the documentation is still thorough.
Vehicles with special equipment
Lowered sports cars, vehicles with air suspension or classic cars need special attention. Ask before booking whether the provider has experience with such vehicles and whether the access to the parking site involves kerbs or steep ramps. Give notes in writing in the booking so that the driver also knows about them on the day of travel.
Storing photos properly
Don't just save the photos on your phone; also store them in a cloud or email them to yourself. Otherwise, if your phone is lost on holiday, the evidence is gone. Name the album with the date and booking number so that you can find it immediately on return. Only delete the photos once the trip is over and everything is in order.
What the report should contain
A complete handover report states the date, time, registration number, mileage, fuel or charge level and all known existing damage with its location. Some providers mark damage on a vehicle sketch, others work with photos in an app that you receive via a link. What matters is that you get a copy and keep it until after the return. If something is not right, have it corrected before you hand over the key.
Who is liable for what?
While the car is in the provider's care, their terms and the statutory rules apply. Which insurance the provider has and how they handle damage should be stated in their terms. Read them before booking, especially for high-value vehicles. Your photos and the report are in any case the basis for a fair resolution.
Once you are used to this procedure, it only takes a few minutes on every further trip.
In brief
Take photos, read the report, hand over correctly, check on return – that's all it takes. Which providers at Stuttgart Airport can be booked via Friend-Park is shown on the page Parking at Stuttgart Airport. The valet procedure is explained in Valet parking at Stuttgart Airport.
