National Car Rental

[Randywc]

Just Returned from first every trip to disney. Arrived after 12 hours of plane changing/travel at 11:00pm. We also had not eaten as the airline cut all food services to save money and we did not have time between connections to get food.

Took my confirmed reservation number to National Counter to pick up my full size car. Reservation confirmed at counter, but was told sorry sir, we have no cars left.

I indicated that I had a confirmed reservation but was told all they had left were compact cars. My family of five and lugage would not fit in a compact car. National counter person said thats all we have, have a nice night.

I then had to try and find another car late at night in a strange city after 12 hours of travel.

I had to take a car from another company, smaller car for $160 more than my confirmed National rental. By the time we got to bed that night it was 4:00am. The first day of our vacation was destroyed as we were too tired to get up and get to the parks, not to mention $160 poorer. Every time I looked at my rental car, I was reminded of my anger.

I plan on filing formal complaints with both National and Disney Club (since they are a prefered parter.)

Any recommendations where I could additionaly complain about this very poor customer service.

 

[Pluto4President]

This should be posted on the Transportaion Board!

First of all, sorry for the bad experience. You can email national right from their website:

National Website

 

[KProuty]

And they say things are slow in Orlando? I would have been furious! They didn't have a bigger car to give you AT ALL? I'm flying in the day after Thanksgiving, and now I am worried! At least I'm not arriving in the middle of the night!

I will forward your post to National in email and ask for words of encouragement that this won't happen to me or anyone else in Orlando....

Whoever did that to you should be fired or extremely reprimanded.

Katherine

 

[Pluto4President]

OK, I'm not crazy - this was not initially on this board

while there will always be negative situations with all major companies, this is really the first "horrible" one that I have heard about National. Check the transportaion board for all kinds of National posts. Also, do a search for National in the transportation board.

 

[robinb]

I've always wondered what your legal rights are when you're "walked" from a rental car agency when you have a confirmed reservation. I'm sorry that this happened to you. Randy, could you keep us updated?

 

[Disneylvr]

Now I am worried, we have reservations with National for later this month. I made the reservations on their website and printed out the confirmation. Did you make reservations by phone or web site? National should refund the $160 difference to you PLUS your 1 night of hotel. This is awful!!!

 

[Rock'n Robin]

This happened to us years ago in Maui with another company--we (and two other couples) had to hire a cab to take us to the other side of the island because they were out of cars--and then go back to the car place the next day to pick one up. They reimbursed us both ways for cab fare but it put a big crimp in our first morning to have to go back and pick up a car.
Robin M.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

What a shame, I was under the impression that a confirmed ressie meant a guarantee of receiving what you booked. I am also surprised that they did not find a car for you, ie: other agencies, which is what they usually do in a situation like this.
Katherine,
Who would you fire and for what reason? The lack of cars is not the counter attendants fault.
A letter of complaint should be sufficient.
As Pluto said, this is the first complaint of this magnitude for National. Even when they were allowing people to drive their rented vehicles home after 9/11, they had cars available.
As to worrying, I would not. This appears to be an isolated incident. What kind of assurances could they give you on top of a confirmed ressie?

 

[ducklite]

Gail-

I agree that the lack of cars isn't the counter attendents fault, but it sounds like the attendent wasn't very sympathetic, and didn't care. A sincere apology goes a long way...

Anne

 

[TinkerbellRules]

DH had a horrible experience with the price he was quoted this week. They tacked on insurance with WE DIDN'T ask for it! He argued and argued. Even had his confirmation. They kept stating he couldn't change his EA information and had to take what it stated he preferred. Well, I looked it up on the website and it stated DECLINED on insurance. He paid over $100 more. I still don't understand it.

Be very careful! Even with a confirmation paper you may still get stick with a higher rate. I'm going to email customer service about it. He also stated they besides that, everything on the EA went fine.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Anne,
I completely agree with the sincere apology aspect, but, remember, we are hearing one side of this story, we were not there and we do not know what happened. Like any story or report we get here, we hear one side, and trust that the facts, as presented, are factual.
I generally believe the positive ones and discard about three quarters of the negs. as they tend to get inflated way out of reason. Not saying this happened in this case, but...... it does happen.

 

[Pluto4President]

uh oh - Gail's looking for trouble

 

[Tracie Wallace]

Hi Randywc:
Once in Chicago we had a reservations with Alamo. Well, they ran out of cars but made arrangments for us to rent from Hertz. The Hertz rental was much more expensive than Alamo, but Alamo sent us a check to reimburse us the difference between our reservation price with Alamo and the price we paid to Hertz.

I understand your frustration however. It actually took us longer to get a rental car then the trip by air from Los Angeles. We also had a 2 year old with us who didn't take kindly to all the waiting.

I'm sure that part of the problem is that so many people make reservations and never bother to cancel them if they no longer need them. Because of this, car rental agencies overbook.

 

[Carolann]

That's an awful experience. If this happens to anyone else, my suggestion would be to call a limo or cab service for transportation to your hotel. The rental company should accomodate the consumer by arranging to have the rented car DELIVERED to the hotel the following day. The rental company should also reimburse for the limo or cab service. When you weren't looking at the car, I hope you had a great time . . . . .

 

[TinkerbellRules]

I just got off the phone and they refunded half ($44), but I'm still working on the other half. Then, she charged it to the wrong account. DH handed her his business card to charge it on there and she charged to personal acct. It didn't have a card tied to the ressie. I asked the CS person on the phone and she said the person could have charged it to the business card instead. She stated they can't force you to take insurance, but I informed her they were forcing him to. She was nice about it and I told her I wasn't blaming her (phone person). I'm going to followup with letter.

 

[TinkerbellRules]

I just got off the phone and they refunded half ($44), but I'm still working on the other half. Then, she charged it to the wrong account. DH handed her his business card to charge it on there and she charged to personal acct. It didn't have a card tied to the ressie. I asked the CS person on the phone and she said the person could have charged it to the business card instead. She stated they can't force you to take insurance, but I informed her they were forcing him to. She was nice about it and I told her I wasn't blaming her (phone person). I'm going to followup with letter. She also stated it didn't say anywhere on the his profile that we accepted the insurance, but declined it.

 

[tonilea]

Don't flame Gail, she is right.... there is an old saying ... "there are three sides to every story, his , hers, and the truth". Many times it is simply a matter of perception.

BTW Randywc, I am very sorry you were treated so poorly, National is usually much better.

Toni

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Toni,
Thanks for the support, but, I really think Pluto was "tugging my chain". Pluto lives for these moments, giving advice (excellent by the way) about National, helping others with National rentals, looking for National deals and sharing them with us, doing the cruise stuff, and tugging my chain. LOL. Pluto is a wonderful person.

 

[Randywc]

I had made the reservation on the net. I got both a confirmation number and an email confirmation #. I also know for a fact that I was not the only one that night that was turned away. I spoke to a lady that was by the bank of phones who was also trying to get a car as she was turned away from National like I was. I also seen several people wait in line at National and leave without cars.

I might also add that I called back home to my travel agent (out of bed) that night to see if she had any more influence than I. I went back to the National counter and asked them for their phone number. My travel agent called National Counter, asked for a manager. The "manager" told my travel agent that they only had compacts.

At this point, I called around and ended up getting a mid size car from Alamo. Since I was not prepared for this, I had all my discount codes, entertainment book etc back at home. My kids had to travel with luggage on their laps.

I would agree there are three sides to every story. All I can say is I had a confirmed reservation and had to get a car from somewhere else, for more $. That would sum up my version. At no point did I say the counter person was at fault or rude. She did tell me to "have a nice night"

I posted for two reasons. (1) Anger and (2)as a note to others to make sure you have a backup plan for your car reservation.

I was very prepared for my Disney trip from all the good info on this site. I also read all the positive things about National on this site. National is a Disney Preferred Partner and I am a Disney Club Member. These factors convinced me to book with National. National may have never messed up before, but for me and others on Oct 17, they did.

I did not have alternate plans and the result was 1 day missed at Disney.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

I never disputed your story, as I stated in my post. Considering that Alamo and National are sister companies, I would have thought National or Alamo would have treated you much better.
Your advice should be well heeded, and it is something I always do. Learned that years ago with Hertz changing the rate when I hit the counter. Budget was the alternative and at a lower rate and an upgrade to boot.
Next time, use the Emerald Club, it is free with DC, and go through the EA. Assuming you ever use National again. I would write them and express my emotion to them, I am sure something will be forth coming. They do want to make the customer happy.
Bummer about the car, btw.