Dude, where's my rental car?
— -- Question: In September 2008, I reserved a car from Hertz for one week, picking up on Dec. 27 in Salt Lake City. When I arrived at the airport rental location at 9:00 p.m., the entire rental staff had gone home because they had run out of cars. This was peak holiday time in Salt Lake City, and after much begging, and waiting over two hours, I managed to get one of the last cars at another car-rental agency.
I have contacted Hertz numerous times and all I have received is a form letter apologizing. I am a Gold Club member and my opinion is that they should have offered me something else. Can you help?
-- David Palay, Atlanta
Answer: Unlike most other travel suppliers, including airlines and hotels, car rental companies usually don't exact penalties for no-shows. If you fail to pick up your car as scheduled, they simply cancel your reservation.
But such no-obligation bookings create serious fleet-management problems. Since car companies want to maximize their rentals, they compensate for expected no-shows by overbooking. Their calculations can get out of whack during peak travel times, special events like the Super Bowl or even if foul weather forces a lot of flight cancellations.
"While Hertz typically has enough cars in its fleet to meet demand, there are times, especially during holiday periods, when we are unable to honor a reservation," says Hertz representative Paula Rivera.
Just as airlines and hotels follow certain protocols in case of overbooking, the major rental agencies including Hertz, Avis, Budget, Dollar and Thrifty, should help their customers who get stuck without cars. However, since apparently everyone at the Hertz Salt Lake City airport location went home early that evening, Palay was left to fend for himself.
It's unusual for a location to run out of vehicles entirely; a far more common gripe is that the car class you book isn't available when you arrive at the counter. When the car class you booked is sold out, you should receive a free upgrade, or a discounted rate on a smaller car, plus the option to exchange the replacement car for the one you reserved when it becomes available, if you prefer.
If no cars are available at all, the location's staff should provide alternate transportation to your destination, such as a taxi ride to your hotel. The company should then deliver your vehicle as soon as possible. If that's not feasible, you can rent from a different agency, and if your new rental price is higher, the car rental company you originally booked with should reimburse you for the difference. This may require some negotiation, as technically the remuneration standard applies only to rentals of similar cars, and in a pinch, you might not have many choices.
Hertz was waiting for Palay to send in the receipt for his replacement rental so it could refund the extra cost he incurred, according to Rivera. Rather than make him wait any longer, Hertz sent Palay a $50 voucher for a future rental as a gesture of goodwill.
How can you avoid trouble?
• Guarantee or prepay your Hertz rental. Hertz customers can reserve certain cars at some locations using a credit card. There is a cancellation fee (usually $100, though this varies by location) if you don't show up, but on the flip side, Hertz will hand over a $100 rental certificate if your vehicle isn't available at pick-up time. In December 2008, Hertz launched a new pre-pay option. It offers lower rates and guaranteed cars, but assesses a $25-50 fee if you cancel. Finally, if you book a car from Hertz's Fun, Green or Prestige collections, the company guarantees the make and model you reserve.
• Notify the car rental agency if you're running late. Indicate your modified pick-up time, so they won't assume you're a no-show and give your car away.
• Some travelers make multiple reservations during peak periods, especially if arriving late at night. But this is a double-edged sword – it increases your chances of getting a car, but exacerbates the no-show problem that makes it so hard for car-rental companies to manage their fleets in the first place.
Linda Burbank first began troubleshooting travelers' complaints for the Consumer Reports Travel Letter. She now writes regularly for Consumers Union publications and is a contributing editor for National Geographic Traveler. E-mail her at travel@usatoday.com. Your question may be used in a future column.