Alamo's $100 a week computer glitch on 15 pass Vans

[Disneyfanatic108]

If you were one of the lucky ones that made a reservation during alamos computer glitch and were able to get the 15 passenger van for $100 a week, have you completed your rental? Please advise when you do. We were able to get a minivan with this error and will not be going until November, and would like to know how things went. thanks for any replies.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

My guess is the company will use the contract/rate provision regarding website errors, nullifying the rate booked and defaulting it to a higher rate, possibly at full cost.

 

[Disneyfanatic108]

We were contacted by Alamo and were asked if we would be willing to switch to a smaller vehicle and that they were honoring the rate that was given out. I have two reservations, the original that has a 15 passenger van for a $162 for the time we need it, and a second reservation for just a minivan under the same reservation. When I try to access it online, I can not. it just says adjusted rate for vehicle please call. I know I will get the price I was quoted, just wondering how things went when leaving the garage.

 

[kim52265]

i to was also wondering me and my brothers family both have a van rented and i was wondering if they are going to honor the price i dont mind being downsized to a full but i want that price

 

[Disneyfanatic108]

Kim52265, Did alamo contact you directly? They contacted us 2 days after the rental was made. I filled everything out so we could use the kiosk and the next day they called and asked if we could down size to a smaller vehilcle. the smallest we can go is a minivan so we did that. If I try to access the ressi online it says Special rate attached please call for further information. I am sure we will get the rate requested. the problem they had was they did not have the inventory of 15 passenger vans for the amount of reservations that were made.

 

[n2mm]

I have one and we leave this weekend. I called last week and talked to Alamo to make sure this is still valid. We were told yes. Then we were told to call Orlando to make sure they still had them available and the agent said everything was fine. We asked about downgrading to a minivan and was told there were no minivans available that week. So looks like we will be 6 people in a full size van. I will have my netbook with me so I'll post back after we check into the BWV (free internet) on Sunday afternoon. And yes, I have a minivan booked with another company as a backup. Unlike the other poster, I did log on and pre-registered, but no one ever called us to try to get us to downgrade.

 

[kim52265]

no they did not contact me probably because all they have is my email i am hoping that it all go ok but i am sure it will and if if it doesnt scream untill it does lol

 

[Disneyfanatic108]

I'm sure they had some vans available, so when they had enough people switch to another vehicle, they just quit calling.

 

[Brian Noble]

If you've talked to them and accepted a downgrade at that price, you should be fine. You may need to visit the counter when you get there from the sound of it, though.

 

[Disneyfanatic108]

I'm sure we will be fine, I even asked If I could use the kiosk, and they said we could, we just could not access the reservation to modify it. It is the same reservation number and everything.

 

[Lewisc]

Posters renting a 15 person pass van should double check their personal insurance and credit card insurance. I think some polices may exclude this vehicle class.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Posters renting a 15 person pass van should double check their personal insurance and credit card insurance. I think some polices may exclude this vehicle class.

Good point, as do most credit card secondary and primary coverages.

 

[dudspizza]

I would be leary any time I have booked a rate that is all over the internet as a computer glitch. Alamo has the right to change the rate due to the glitch. Be very careful.

Sometimes a phone rep will tell you one thing, but in reality it could be up to the local agency when you rent in MCO.

Duds

 

[Lewisc]

I would be leary any time I have booked a rate that is all over the internet as a computer glitch. Alamo has the right to change the rate due to the glitch. Be very careful.

Sometimes a phone rep will tell you one thing, but in reality it could be up to the local agency when you rent in MCO.

Duds

I'd agree with you if the renter called Alamo and spoke to a random CSR. In this case Alamo had a specific employee who called those customers. Some customers accepted a different class vehicle. Some customers made the reservation "on spec", decided they wouldn't be making the trip and cancelled the reservation. Some kept the 15 pass van.

I agree Alamo had the right to cancel the "glitch" rate but they effectively waived that right when Alamo took the initiative to contact the customers and confirm the reservation.

 

[Disneyfanatic108]

Lewisc is correct. When the rep from alamo called our house, he told us there was an error in their pricing on internet bookings of the 15 passenger van. He asked if we had rented the van only for the price, or if we really needed a 15 passenger van? He said they would honor the price we recieved for the 15 passenger for any vehicle if we could downgrade to a different class that met our needs. At the time we booked minivans were $800+ and economys were $300+. The error was only out for about an hour and he said they had 300 15 passenger vans rented for a 4 week period. I was honest with him and told him we were a family of 5 and we rented it for the price telling him it would fit our needs. I also told him that we could do a minivan. He checked for availabilty and said it would be no problem. I am glad to see a company that admitted it was their pricing error and honored the pricing they gave out.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

I am glad to see a company that admitted it was their pricing error and honored the pricing they gave out.

Transversely, I think it's unfortunate that 300 people in one hour took advantage of what would appear to be an error to any normal consumer (considering the discount is well below any logical amount and the value of any other class of vehicle offered). Customers should have a bit of responsibility and short of a better word, ethics, people are human and computers make mistakes.

 

[Lewisc]

Transversely, I think it's unfortunate that 300 people in one hour took advantage of what would appear to be an error to any normal consumer (considering the discount is well below any logical amount and the value of any other class of vehicle offered). Customers should have a bit of responsibility and short of a better word, ethics, people are human and computers make mistakes.

Ultimately a person, not the computer, was responsible for the error. I agree Alamo didn't have to honor the reservations. Some people booked the rate because they're greedy. Some people may think a company is running a "loss leader" promotion. I just stayed at a hotel for a PL rate of $64, the best available rate for the hotel was $229. Some people may think it's probably a mistake but are willing to negotiate a reasonable alternate discount.

Look at the past threads regarding "questionable codes". What's missed is some customers (probably not DISmembers) are eligible for those deals. It may be South American travel agents but the rental agency is giving some customers those deals.

It's not a reach for some customers to think they lucked out and were able to take advantage of a limited, special "deal".

 

[n2mm]

If you were one of the lucky ones that made a reservation during alamos computer glitch and were able to get the 15 passenger van for $100 a week, have you completed your rental? Please advise when you do. We were able to get a minivan with this error and will not be going until November, and would like to know how things went. thanks for any replies.

we are here now and we picked up our van on Saturday. We tried to go to the counter, but the manager directed us to the kiosk. We asked about downgrading and he said to process the rental, then ask at the gargage. We did and the price was accepted. We asked about a downgrade, but there were no minivans available, so we had to take the van. It is huge, as expected. But it's still smaller than our personal vehicles. I got the print out with the price, so unless they try to charge more at the return, the price, so far, has been accepted. As for the extra for personal insurance, that seems to be if you have more than 4 people in the rental. I have not done the counter/kiosk in many years since we're National Exec members, so that clause does come up during kiosk check, but it sounds like this clause effects ALOT of people, since it says that some insurances does not cover rentals for 5 or more passengers, so folks should check with their carrier. We always have 5 or more with us. I'll post back this weekend when we return the van on Saturday. My husband drives a F350 pickup with extended cab and extended bed, so he's pretty familiar with parking a larger vehicle. Parking the great white beast (our van) is not something alot of folks might be use to. Also, the seats do NOT come out or fold down, so putting luggage in (and groceries) is a pain in the rear. While the price is great, I would never rent this again.

 

[yrdlyprincess]

I was online that last night using some different codes--from my membership club, I swear I must have been losing my mind bc @ one point I thought that I saw a Trailblazer for $30 more than a fullsize! But when I went back to it, it wss the same old high price! Whatever-- I think that it may sometimes be like with airlines the prices change all the time.

 

[dioxide45]

As for the extra for personal insurance, that seems to be if you have more than 4 people in the rental. I have not done the counter/kiosk in many years since we're National Exec members, so that clause does come up during kiosk check, but it sounds like this clause effects ALOT of people, since it says that some insurances does not cover rentals for 5 or more passengers, so folks should check with their carrier. We always have 5 or more with us.

This is true to a degree. Our Visa signature card has CDW coverage but it doesn't cover vans that are designed to transport more than 8 passengers. So if you are renting a large van, don't rely on your CC CDW to cover you if you are in an accident. Many also don't cover rentals that are longer than 15 days, something else to consider. Definitely read over any personal or CC CDW coverage that you have.