Rental Car reservation?

[at_nyc]

The last couple years, I've noticed rental car reservation had changed, quietly but significantly.

It used to be you reserve a car and attach a flight # to it. The reservation is good until the flight arrives, whatever the hours.

These days, a lot of the rental car reservation is for a specific time slot. The rate is only good for 2 hr on either side. So when the flight is late for more than 2 hours, it's as if you haven't made a reservation! They can try to charge you full "rack rate" which can be 50% more than what you've got quoted on your original reservation! At least that's what they tried to pull a fast one on me once.

I wonder if others run into the same problem, and how you deal with it effectively, without having to get lump into a full price rental when their flight is delayed. .

I was so far able to side-step the issue by using my work discount (which basically doesn't require advance reservation but still gets substantial discount). But I'm now at a job that doesn't offer that kind of perk. The "discount" they offer is tiny. So I have to figure out a better way to reserve that is still safe even when one's flight is delayed (something that could happen easily in the wintery months)

 

[dbostedo]

I haven't run into that problem, but have mainly used my work account as well. In the event that happens, could you just get back online and rebook that way for same day pickup, and get a decent rate? Is it just because you're booking at the counter that they try to charge "rack rate"?

 

[fatbob]

I'd suspect your best bet is to acquire status with one of the top tier rental companies and then use it for leverage when things get dicey. Strikes me over recent years that the US rental car market is being managed tighter - fewer "spare" vehicles sitting aroung, less self selection of vehicles. So can totally understand they might try to squeeze you over late pick ups etc. i'd try to call ahead if I knew my flight was delayed and hope for a sympathetic manager to bump the reservation up a couple of hours.

 

[Nathanvg]

Never had that issue and I rent a lot of cars. I have status with Avis and Hertz but typically rent personal travel with any of the major companies. The best leverage is to get a second reservation and threaten to go next door if the first company tries something shady.

 

[crgildart]

Why should the rental car company have to eat the extra cost of holding a car an additional day (assuming a flight delayed more than two hours often gets pushed over in to next day territory) when it's either the fault of the airline or customer that the deal doesn't go down when originally promised by both parties?

I get that it seams unfair because the rental car places may not have done that in the past but margins have gotten thinner especially now with car sharing options and UBER, Lift, etc..

When the airline makes you late they need to own the damages they cause or folks should seek alternate transportation..

 

[Xinga]

But that car was going to not be available to their fleet anyway if you reserved it to rent. Why do they care if you pick it up a couple hours late? Why penalize your customer that reserved ahead to give something to a walk-up?

 

[PinnacleJim]

Never had that issue. Maybe because my flights to Denver the last few years have been on time.

A number of years ago I was on a delayed flight. Didn't arrive at the counter until after midnight and they said I had no reservation. Luckily I had a printout with the reservation number. Seems it was the next day so computer had cancelled it. They honored the reservation.

 

[skidrew]

But that car was going to not be available to their fleet anyway if you reserved it to rent. Why do they care if you pick it up a couple hours late? Why penalize your customer that reserved ahead to give something to a walk-up?

Yeah, good point . . . they could charge you the extra two hours.

That said, I think it's really an issue of releasing the car back to be available - because there's no penalty for canceling rental car cos. get a lot of no shows. At some point they have to rent the car, and maybe 2 hours is a reasonable waiting period. Of course, if they have your flight info and it's delayed then there's not much excuse. As a counterexample, my flight into Bozeman was delayed 4+ hours once. I called from Billings (diversion!) and they told me the counter would stay open until after the flight arrived and my rental was still reserved (not that someone was going to rent a car walkup at midnight).

 

[coskigirl]

While I haven’t had any issues, if my flight is significantly delayed I make a practice of calling affected reservations to alert them of my delayed arrival be it hotel (if I will arrive later than the normal guaranteed time), car service, or rental car.

 

[BS Slarver]

Just, literally just dropped my son off for a one way rental, Stewart airport NY to Denver. I've always had great experiences with one way rentals airport to airport, some as low $ 89 for long distance hauls.

Reservation was made a month ago and confirmed on Wednesday after no one could find my reservation at the call center on Tuesday. I reviewed and even reminded them that the driver is only 19 years old.
Upon arriving at the airport the dude at the desk asks me if I brought the special form for under age drivers that needs to be filled out and sent into corporate for approval... WTF !
Keeping my cool and not wanting to go away in cuffs it was eventually worked out with a upper level manager.
My experience is to become a member of your preferred car rental group, gets you things members won't get.
Last week in curaçao I got a truck, that wasn't available on line for the same price as a 2 door speck.
I always call and confirm a day before, call again and call once more if I'm running late.