Better than Visa Magic Code?

[jekjones1558]

aribelle,
Have you ever been charged a penalty for failing to cancel a reservation before arrival day? Or do you only book cars that require no credit card to reserve?

 

[nosy parker]

I was at my local National counter this weekend as we needed a truck (my son is moving out boo hoo...) Anyway, since I have two trips to the US planned this fall I am eager to take advantage of this amazing rate. But of course I don't want any hassle with these codes so since I was there this weekend I asked the lovely woman at the counter about these codes (57/67). She punched them both in a confirmed that both these codes are absolutely corporate and they require you to be an employee. She said they are not for use by the general public and that proof would be required as to employment. However, I mentionned that a friend had used it a while back and that is how I came to know of it. She simply answered "well, they might not have asked for proof". She was very friendly and indicated that it's not always requested, but that my friend was probably just lucky.

I am in Canada and this was at my local counter so I don't think it will send off any big warning bells to anyone to "pull the code" or raise awareness about it in some way, so please don't bash me about checking it out. The clerk paid really no mind to my question and we continued our business after she checked out the codes for me.

Thought I'd pass this on. Makes me a bit nervous about using these codes. I'll wait and see what the next few users have to say about it.

 

[Disneyhappy]

I was at my local National counter this weekend as we needed a truck (my son is moving out boo hoo...) Anyway, since I have two trips to the US planned this fall I am eager to take advantage of this amazing rate. But of course I don't want any hassle with these codes so since I was there this weekend I asked the lovely woman at the counter about these codes (57/67). She punched them both in a confirmed that both these codes are absolutely corporate and they require you to be an employee. She said they are not for use by the general public and that proof would be required as to employment. However, I mentionned that a friend had used it a while back and that is how I came to know of it. She simply answered "well, they might not have asked for proof". She was very friendly and indicated that it's not always requested, but that my friend was probably just lucky.

I am in Canada and this was at my local counter so I don't think it will send off any big warning bells to anyone to "pull the code" or raise awareness about it in some way, so please don't bash me about checking it out. The clerk paid really no mind to my question and we continued our business after she checked out the codes for me.

Thought I'd pass this on. Makes me a bit nervous about using these codes. I'll wait and see what the next few users have to say about it.

Thanks for sharing. I think it is jut a matter of time until National (especially at MCO) wakes up to this and pulls the plug on these codes which is why I won't book it. Murphys Law is that I wil be the first customer that they would ask ID. We are National Emerald/Exectuive members and have been for years. So if we would double book to have a back up resrvation with National, we could be charged for a no show for the ressie not used under our credit card on record with them. I don't htink I would book a back up with Alamo either since they share the same cars and exit gates with National. I would suggest using a totally different renatl agency if I planned to have a back up ressie to play it safe.

 

[VinnyNYC]

I have a ressie for Aug, 10 days with the 57 code for $275 for a minivan. Should I which to the 67 code? Are these 2 codes the same?

 

[SuzanneSLO]

We are National Emerald/Exectuive members and have been for years. So if we would double book to have a back up resrvation with National, we could be charged for a no show for the ressie not used under our credit card on record with them.

We have been Emerald Club members for years and have never been charged a fee for a no show. Are you booking a special car class that makes it subject to a no show fee? -- Suzanne

 

[suevee]

Was that Walmart/Alamo $367 "out the door"?....or do you still have $100 or so in fees/taxes/airport concession, etc to add on to that total?

It was $367 out the door...Here is my ressie info
Base Rate - Minivan (USD)
(1) Week Rate ($199.04/week) $199.04
(5) Day Rate ($28.43/day) $142.15

Contract I.D. 430710
Guaranteed Base Rate Included
(1) Additional Driver Included
Unlimited Miles Included

Subtotal.............................................$341.19

Discounts
Discount ($34.12)
Alamo.com Weekly Coupon ($20.00)

Subtotal............................................($54.12)

Taxes, Surcharges and Fees
Concession Fee Recov Chrg 9.8 % $28.70
Florida Surcharge 2.00/day $24.00
Tire/battery Fee .02/day $0.24
License Recoupment Fee .46/day $5.52
Sales Tax (6.50%) $22.46

Subtotal..............................................$80.92

Estimated Total......................................$367.99

 

[Disneyhappy]

We have been Emerald Club members for years and have never been charged a fee for a no show. Are you booking a special car class that makes it subject to a no show fee? -- Suzanne

We have never been a no show so I have never been subject to a potential charge. One time I rented three vehicles for a trip using either DH or my Emerald Club membership (forget which one). We actually needed three autos for this particular extended family trip that I organized. I recieved an email from National about my duplicate bookings. I called them to explain (which ended up being no problem). I asked them at that time what would happen if I had, indeed, duplicate booked and failed to show up for one of the reservations. The agent told me we "could" be charged for the no show as they have our credit card info on record. Since that time, I am conscious to make sure I remember to cancel out any reservations I may not end up needing.

 

[keishashadow]

We have been Emerald Club members for years and have never been charged a fee for a no show. Are you booking a special car class that makes it subject to a no show fee? -- Suzanne

is your CC info they have on file current/possibly expired date on card...in which case they couldn't charge you?

i thought the Emerald club ressies were def charged for a no-show (as per the card on file re master contract)?

just wondering why peeps don't cancel if ur not going to utilize the ressie? is it to have a backup jik another one doesn't work out?

admit to usually having 2 ressies w/major players until i find a great rate...then i cancel asap, mostly for fear of forgetting & getting charged via the CC they have on file

 

[deedeetoo]

I am a bit concerned about the idea expressed here by many that if you call National too many times, they will cancel the code.

The reason that people are calling is because they are afraid the code is not legitimate and they want to make sure it is, either because they are afraid they will have trouble when picking up the car or because they just don't want to use something that they are not entitled to.

If this code truly is legitimate and open to everyone, National is not going to cancel it because it gets a lot of phone calls. However, if the code is not supposed to be open to everyone after all, they might cancel it if they realize that it has hit the internet and the general public is using it.

The problem is that people are getting different answers to the same question. That is why people keep calling. If everyone who calls was told the code is open to everyone then the calls would stop. But some people are hearing that the code is restricted to employees only.

I am not sure what to do about this. I had a reservation with the 67 code, then cancelled it because I decided there was not enough evidence that it was legit. Then I was swayed again and made the reservation again. But the above conversation with the desk agent has me concerned again. I'm not sure what to do.

 

[lilyv]

I am a bit concerned about the idea expressed here by many that if you call National too many times, they will cancel the code.

The reason that people are calling is because they are afraid the code is not legitimate and they want to make sure it is, either because they are afraid they will have trouble when picking up the car or because they just don't want to use something that they are not entitled to.

If this code truly is legitimate and open to everyone, National is not going to cancel it because it gets a lot of phone calls. However, if the code is not supposed to be open to everyone after all, they might cancel it if they realize that it has hit the internet and the general public is using it.

The problem is that people are getting different answers to the same question. That is why people keep calling. If everyone who calls was told the code is open to everyone then the calls would stop. But some people are hearing that the code is restricted to employees only.

I am not sure what to do about this. I had a reservation with the 67 code, then cancelled it because I decided there was not enough evidence that it was legit. Then I was swayed again and made the reservation again. But the above conversation with the desk agent has me concerned again. I'm not sure what to do.

For me, there are two problems with the 57/67 codes. I'm not sure I truly qualify for them, and I am very concerned about accepting National's insurance... should something happen, they certainly could decline any and all claims if I can't prove that I'm entitled to a particular code. I do realize others may feel differently about this.
I ended up reserving with another agency. Peace of mind is important to me. I'm going on vacation!
Keep trying lots of rental places, in the meantime. Rates can change at anytime.

 

[Pocahantas]

We used the 67 code last week along with the $35 coupon - no questions asked. Picked up our minivan on 5/24 and dropped it off on 6/1 - $189 total. We are Emerald Club members so I added DH as an additional driver at the gate - no extra charge. Took just a few short minutes and we were on our way. I am using the code again for our February 2009 trip!

 

[SuzanneSLO]

i thought the Emerald club ressies were def charged for a no-show (as per the card on file re master contract)?

just wondering why peeps don't cancel if ur not going to utilize the ressie? is it to have a backup jik another one doesn't work out?

I admit that when I am using Alamo in a new location, I often will have a back-up reservation with another company, usually National. Its a habit from long ago, when Alamo was offsite at MCO and the wait just to get on the bus was more than 1 hour long. We ended up renting at the airport from another agency (actually got a decent rate) and blew off the Alamo resrvation.

As I stated before, I have never been charged a no show rate by National. Making a reservation with your credit card info is not the same as renting a car. While the reservation could be subject to a cancellation or no show fee (as I understand some speciality cars, including mini-vans, are) this information would have to be disclosed at the time of the reservation. -- Suzanne

 

[keishashadow]

I am a bit concerned about the idea expressed here by many that if you call National too many times, they will cancel the code.

The reason that people are calling is because they are afraid the code is not legitimate and they want to make sure it is, either because they are afraid they will have trouble when picking up the car or because they just don't want to use something that they are not entitled to.

If this code truly is legitimate and open to everyone, National is not going to cancel it because it gets a lot of phone calls. However, if the code is not supposed to be open to everyone after all, they might cancel it if they realize that it has hit the internet and the general public is using it.

The problem is that people are getting different answers to the same question. That is why people keep calling. If everyone who calls was told the code is open to everyone then the calls would stop. But some people are hearing that the code is restricted to employees only.

I am not sure what to do about this. I had a reservation with the 67 code, then cancelled it because I decided there was not enough evidence that it was legit. Then I was swayed again and made the reservation again. But the above conversation with the desk agent has me concerned again. I'm not sure what to do.

im more of a cynic i suppose & im sure not going to try to figure out what compels people to do what they do...

however, it wouldn't surprise me if some are calling national (doing their 'civic duty') to point out the now-rather widespread knowledge of the code

fyi, most "special" rate codes (unlike contract IDs) are capacity controlled, etc...wouldn't surprise me if this contract code is yanked based on volume alone (or the rates suddenly skyrocket - as they did for the 87 code for my dates of travel)...at least for new ressies.

Who knows if the TA who is assigned the code is getting a % of the 'action' (in which case i'd doubt they'd complain )or whether it's strictly a complimentary code.

Bottom line, nobody is forcing people to use any code , suggest those who are uncomfortable utilizing it, stick to the more mainstream offerings that can be found on mousesavers that don't require a specific affiliation to insure their comfort factor

 

[Disneyhappy]

I am a bit concerned about the idea expressed here by many that if you call National too many times, they will cancel the code.

The reason that people are calling is because they are afraid the code is not legitimate and they want to make sure it is, either because they are afraid they will have trouble when picking up the car or because they just don't want to use something that they are not entitled to.

If this code truly is legitimate and open to everyone, National is not going to cancel it because it gets a lot of phone calls. However, if the code is not supposed to be open to everyone after all, they might cancel it if they realize that it has hit the internet and the general public is using it.

The problem is that people are getting different answers to the same question. That is why people keep calling. If everyone who calls was told the code is open to everyone then the calls would stop. But some people are hearing that the code is restricted to employees only.

I am not sure what to do about this. I had a reservation with the 67 code, then cancelled it because I decided there was not enough evidence that it was legit. Then I was swayed again and made the reservation again. But the above conversation with the desk agent has me concerned again. I'm not sure what to do.

I agree that there is no need for people to keep calling. There is enoug info posted on this thread. Everyone should read this thread in its entirety and make an informed decision as to whether they want to take a chance on a code they may not be entitled to. However, I do not think it will be the phone calls that gets National's attention but rather the number of people all of a sudden using this unpublished code in which National is providing exceptional rates and covering insurance to boot. Those weekly or monthly spreadsheets will be spilling the beans sometime on this code (hopefully later rather than sooner). The question is when, not if National catches on and what they will do about it. Honor the code on current ressies and change the code to another unpublished code? Or stop honoring the code at the gate? I think the right thing for them to do is to honor current reservations and simply not allow any future ressies. The ultimate factor in the decision will be made based on how much money they project they are losing when they study the number of outstanding reservations. The whole insurance thing is a whole other issue that makes the hair on the back of my neck crawl!

 

[keishashadow]

I admit that when I am using Alamo in a new location, I often will have a back-up reservation with another company, usually National. Its a habit from long ago, when Alamo was offsite at MCO and the wait just to get on the bus was more than 1 hour long. We ended up renting at the airport from another agency (actually got a decent rate) and blew off the Alamo resrvation.

As I stated before, I have never been charged a no show rate by National. Making a reservation with your credit card info is not the same as renting a car. While the reservation could be subject to a cancellation or no show fee (as I understand some speciality cars, including mini-vans, are) this information would have to be disclosed at the time of the reservation. -- Suzanne

fyi, the following is disclosed both on national's website & in master rental agreement all EA must sign & return, so they'd be within their rights to assess the $50 fee::cop:
edit: will say that my copy of master rental agreement is many years old, it is possible that it may have been updated as to verbage? anybody have a newer one that can check?
the following is taken from from national's website, note that guaranteed reservation applies to all EA & above rentals as per my copy of master rental agreement i pulled out as well as certain classes of cars including all specialty vehicles, such as minivan, 4-wheel drive, and convertible car classes

No Show

In the case of a "no show" of a customer, the reservation will be canceled. National charges a fee on the renters credit card for vehicles that are reserved but not rented, if the reservation was not canceled within 24 hours of the anticipated arrival.
Cancellations are accepted up to one calendar day before reservation date. If the reservation is not cancelled, a No Show Fee of $50.00 (plus applicable taxes, surcharges, and lessor fees) will be charged to the credit card on the Guaranteed Reservation.


The following credit cards are accepted for Guaranteed Reservations:

• American Express
• Diners Club
• Discover
• Carte Blanche
• MasterCard
• Visa

 

[bcuinohio]

You can reserve a car without a credit card. What is the difference between a reservation and a guaranteed reservation?

 

[keishashadow]

You can reserve a car without a credit card. What is the difference between a reservation and a guaranteed reservation?

Guaranteed:

*as stated previously, it is my understanding (by reading my master contract) that all EA & above ressies (wherein u include u EA number in order to obtain benefits/percs) are guaranteed by the CC u have on file and are subject to the $50 no-show fee

*additionally, see previous post as to the types of cars that also are guaranteed & subject to the $50 fee

many have reported not being assessed it my luck they would , so i make sure to cancel within the referenced time.

akin to whether u want to accept the outside chance that a corporate id/code wouldn't be honored imo

fyi, i have a car booked in less than 3 weeks (whoopee) @ LAS, will report back as to how it went

 

[SuzanneSLO]

Guaranteed:

*as stated previously, it is my understanding (by reading my master contract) that all EA & above ressies (wherein u include u EA number in order to obtain benefits/percs) are guaranteed by the CC u have on file and are subject to the $50 no-show fee

*additionally, see previous post as to the types of cars that also are guaranteed & subject to the $50 fee . . .

Could you please point me to the language in the Emerald Club rules or Master Contract about the guaranteed rental? If I am wrong and have just been lucky, I sure want to know!

All I see is the statement that standard rental policies apply and, in the Master Contract, that there is no contract until the following happens: "You must present your valid driver's license, an acceptable credit card (not debit card) issued to you with available credit and your Card to the rental agent or guard at the time of rental in order to enter into a rental transaction under the Program."

Personally, I have a credit card on file with most of the rental car companies because I am always trying to quote a better rate. I have never been charged except when I returned the car after the rental. -- Suzanne

 

[keishashadow]

Could you please point me to the language in the Emerald Club rules or Master Contract about the guaranteed rental? If I am wrong and have just been lucky, I sure want to know!

All I see is the statement that standard rental policies apply and, in the Master Contract, that there is no contract until the following happens: "You must present your valid driver's license, an acceptable credit card (not debit card) issued to you with available credit and your Card to the rental agent or guard at the time of rental in order to enter into a rental transaction under the Program."

Personally, I have a credit card on file with most of the rental car companies because I am always trying to quote a better rate. I have never been charged except when I returned the car after the rental. -- Suzanne

see above post #555, i brought the info over from National's site , easy to find there, look in the rules section as to no show

to reiterate, im not sure if the master contract i have in my hand is the current one or not as i am a longtime member, however; i have continued to abide by it.

im also not a lawyer so im not about to debate what constitutes a contract....although im def. still going to cancel any ressie that im not going to use that i've booked (tied into any of the programs where my CC is on file) in advance of the cancellation penalty; as per my master contract & my interpretation on their website.

it's currently listed as $50, not earthshattering, far better than getting charged for the entire ressie as a no show imo

 

[mzlee]

I see that people are not having any problems at MCO but has anyone used the 57 or 67 code at the Sanford airport location?