When you thought car hire companies couldn't get worse
Discussion
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2016/aug/27/dela...
Person books and prepays a rental car.
Flight is two hours late, so he gets to the car hire desk at 4.30 pm not the planned 2.30 pm.
Car hire company tells him they won't give him a car as he is late, but they are keeping his £364.
Person books and prepays a rental car.
Flight is two hours late, so he gets to the car hire desk at 4.30 pm not the planned 2.30 pm.
Car hire company tells him they won't give him a car as he is late, but they are keeping his £364.
I really don't understand the part where they say they can no longer hold the car, even though it's already been paid for.How does that work?
I use HolidayAutos everytime I need a hire car back in the UK or abroad.......This will make me think twice now as it's a problem that can easily happen and is out of you're control.
I thought this was the main reason they ask for your flight number if you pre hire at an airport so they can keep an eye on the delays of hire passengers coming in? At least that's what it said when I recently booked a hire car at Gatwick airport.
I use HolidayAutos everytime I need a hire car back in the UK or abroad.......This will make me think twice now as it's a problem that can easily happen and is out of you're control.
I thought this was the main reason they ask for your flight number if you pre hire at an airport so they can keep an eye on the delays of hire passengers coming in? At least that's what it said when I recently booked a hire car at Gatwick airport.
We had a hire car through HolidayAutos a couple of weeks ago in Bordeaux. The hire company was Thrifty (part of Hertz).
A week before the holiday I spotted that Mrs Puggit had booked the car for 10am instead of 10pm. A call to HA resulted in the agent attempting to cancel our booking to make a new one. The only stock available meant dropping from a Polo to something smaller (!) with a £60 increase. She asked to speak to the manager who agreed it was plain stupid and called Hertz at BOD for us who said it was no problem and to call on the day at around 10am and they would sort it out.
We called and indeed it was no bother.
Moral of the story? I guess it's to go with a major hire company...
Our next holiday the car is booked through BA and it's using Avis...
A week before the holiday I spotted that Mrs Puggit had booked the car for 10am instead of 10pm. A call to HA resulted in the agent attempting to cancel our booking to make a new one. The only stock available meant dropping from a Polo to something smaller (!) with a £60 increase. She asked to speak to the manager who agreed it was plain stupid and called Hertz at BOD for us who said it was no problem and to call on the day at around 10am and they would sort it out.
We called and indeed it was no bother.
Moral of the story? I guess it's to go with a major hire company...
Our next holiday the car is booked through BA and it's using Avis...
We hired a car in Sicily last year from one of the big companies.
When i was finishing the paperwork for our car the misses was waiting out side.
She pointed out to another couple a large dent that the staff member was leaning against in an attempt to hide it.
If she had not said anything they could have ended up with a large bill for a dent that was already there.
When i was finishing the paperwork for our car the misses was waiting out side.
She pointed out to another couple a large dent that the staff member was leaning against in an attempt to hide it.
If she had not said anything they could have ended up with a large bill for a dent that was already there.
I've arsed up, and have been arsed up thanks to airlines, bookings from Avis and Enterprise down the years. Both companies have been v obliging and happy to make it right. Especially Avis when it meant an upgrade from a booked Focus to a BMW 320d.
However that article when I read it yesterday did make me think twice about being so cavalier with my pick-up timings. My assumption being that it's pre-paid, it's my car and hence I can rock up whenever on the pick-up day to get the car. However I do book directly with the agency, dunno if that makes a difference.
However that article when I read it yesterday did make me think twice about being so cavalier with my pick-up timings. My assumption being that it's pre-paid, it's my car and hence I can rock up whenever on the pick-up day to get the car. However I do book directly with the agency, dunno if that makes a difference.
bad company said:
RicksAlfas said:
My feeling is that the renters look after you much better when you have booked direct with them, rather than through Holiday Autos.
Agree 100%. We mostly use Hertz and have the Gold membership etc. Never had a major problem.Picking up a car in Malaga tomorrow from Avis, booked using BA Avios. Supposed to be a group F "VW Touran or similar".
Prizes for guessing what we actually get!
edo said:
Prizes for guessing what we actually get!
Fiat 500L.We've just had a car from Sixt. Very good service, but I did smile when I was collecting it. It had been booked and paid for a long time ago, usual Golf/Focus/Astra size. The girl said "how many of you are there?". "Three" I replied, but then quickly added "But we have a lot of luggage" in case she was trying to convince me a Yaris was the latest Golf competitor!
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