Rental Car shortage, What happens?

[Melynny]

What happens IF you get to the car rental lot-or counter and they have no cars? Has anyone experienced it or heard about what happens? I have a car reserved for this weekend and I just finished reading how National oversold by 247 cars one day last week. National is showing no cars available, so is Alamo. I have a reservation, are you just out of luck?

 

[n2mm]

Don't know.....I read the same post. Guess I'll find out next week.

 

[CarolA]

This has actually happened to me.

Here are my suggestions.

1. Take a print out of your reservation for proof
2. Do NOT accept the offer for the discounted upgrade. (Lots of times the try this when they have no midsize cars and then when you refuse suddenly you wind up with the upgrade anyway!)
3. Do NOT leave the counter! They reserved you a car. They need to find you one. (I stood at Avis and basically pitched a fit. I kept saying is EVERYONE out of cars. Avis had to go get me a car from some other agency and AVIS was responsible for the difference. Just like if an airline bumps you to another airline!)

 

[Melynny]

Thanks, for the reply.. I can tell you, I will not pay any more than is on my comfirmation. But, if there are no cars even with other agencies I can see a problem. I guess I 'll just wait for someone to turn one in and be the first one in line.

 

[ducklite]

I'd also have the phone numbers for a couple of the car services with me. If there are no cars anywhere, you might have your choice--wait at the airport for four hours while they bring one from Tampa, or take a car service. I know what I would do.

Anne

 

[CarolA]

I would ask for payment for any alternative transport you wind up using.

I understand this is due to the hurricane, but it is the rental agencies job to get te cars back to Florida! I have not heard or seen of any "discounts" to drive down like you sometime see for the beginning of the snowbird season. From what I am hearing the rental agencies to get thier act in gear on this. Plus they were still taking reservations for this weekend as late as last week so.... they should not be taking new reservations if they are OUT of cars

 

[inkkognito]

We use Priceline so our rental is pre-paid, and twice Avis has had no cars (both times this was around the hurricane). All that happened was we had to wait while they brought cars from somewhere. Once was 45 mins. and once was only 10. That's not common, but the hurricanes really screwed things up.
Barb

 

[n2mm]

check out the posts on "what's available on the EA". It has a lot of info of folks having nothing much to choose from lately at National.

 

[Brian Noble]

The thin selection on the Emerald Aisle has more to do with incentives for frequent renters to reach the "Executive Aisle" classification than it does with shortages, I suspect. Nearly every Natl site with an Executive has really cheapened the Emerald offerings.

 

[CarolA]

Personally I think EA selections had been way down well before the hurricantes. All you are guranteed is a midsize and lately that is all they have. I have noticed that at other airports also. (Has led me to stick with Hertz. If I don't get to pick a fun car I am not that found of National)