January 30, 2023

Don't get left with no car at the rental counter

This is quoted from a New York Times article by Seth Kugel in response to the consumer who arrived at Atlanta Airport to find, despite having a reservation, NO rental cars were available! 

Ensure rental car is available

"The best advice came from a customer service representative from Alamo, who recommended calling the branch directly as your travel date approaches. (It’s easy to find the branch numbers by clicking on “Locations” on alamo.com.) They can let you know if there is an increase in demand for your dates that might mean it’s worth having a plan B, he said."

"An Avis representative had a different take, telling me the best way to ensure you get a car is to register for Avis Preferred, a loyalty program. She told me it was easy and free, and she was right. (I’m their latest member.) Ms. Gibson agreed, and added that prepaying would also make you a higher priority. Another pro tip: She recommended taking the extra minute or two to provide your flight information when you book a car, which allows the agency to automatically adjust your arrival time if your plane is late."

"The biggest news came from Hertz, which now requires that renters provide a credit-card number when making a reservation. Customers who do not cancel before their pickup time are charged for one day’s rental. Lauren Luster, a Hertz spokeswoman, said that the new policy was put in place last February at all corporate branches in the United States, in part to better control inventory and reduce the chances a customer would arrive and not find an appropriate car waiting."


No comments:

Post a Comment

Financial Planning for Women does not sell, rent, loan, lease or otherwise provide any personal information collected at our site to any third parties.