View Full Version : Fly Drive with Travel City !
Betty Boo
11-10-2007, 19:30
Hi Everyone,
Fairly new to the forum and was wondering if you could help me with something.
My question is : Has anyone ever booked a fly drive through Travel City and then never picked up the car when they arrived at the airport?
Just wondering as the fly drive price (without car insurance) is alot cheaper then just bookng a flight with them so I was wondering if you booked the fly drive package whether they would have any hold over you if you didn't collect the car. The lady at Travel City told me if you didn't book car insurance through them then you would have to pay for it on arrival at the airport but if you never went to collect the car, can they do anything about it.
Hope someone can help!
Many thanks
BB
Robert5988
11-10-2007, 20:58
They won't(or wouldn't) let you do that - I tried for someone else a while ago and they insisted that it was a Fly Drive and you had to take their car(and pay through the nose for insurance)
They wouldn't even let the passenger do as you suggest, in that they insisted that you pay for full insurance up front i.e. before you flew. Even though SLI insurance is not compulsory in the USA(though you would be stupid to drive without insurance)
If you did as you suggest - not pick up the car, and you could face travelling with TCD, I wouldn't be certain that you would have a seat on the return flight; it is a fly drive.
thornton
11-10-2007, 21:18
We flew with Travel City and did not pick up the car, no problem on our return flight.
Some travel insurance companies also cover car hire as part of their policy, American Express is one. If you had a policy with them then you would not need it twice. AmEx even provide a special card which explains to the car hire desk that you are covered and have no need of it again.
Dave
ShirleyD
11-10-2007, 21:51
There have been several posts in the past where people have done this with no problems, then rented their car through this site where there are no extras to pay.
Katys Grandad
11-10-2007, 21:56
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by ShirleyD
There have been several posts in the past where people have done this with no problems, then rented their car through this site where there are no extras to pay.
[/quote]
Are the Travel City fares that much better than other companies to justify the risk, however small?
I would really think twice before doing this. I can't imagine TCD would have overlooked this possibility.
My guess would be the car is part of the overall contract and if you don't take it you are in breach. Certainly, if it was my business I would ensure I had protected myself against the possibility that someone would do exactly as you are suggesting. I would reserve the right to claim compensation from you or, (potentially worse) decide the contract was now void and I could sell your seat to someone else.
Others have got away with it, sure, but I know that with my luck, I'd be the one to get caught out.
It is tempting though.
Robert5988
11-10-2007, 23:29
This 2 year old thread covers this subject.
http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=24445&whichpage=1
In my case(for my Sister in Law) I took the case to ABTA and they, in effect, said TCD can charge what they like. I tried to say she would pick up the car(without insurance)and park it at Sanford car park. However TCD said it might be damaged in the car park and it would be irresponsible to let her drive to the car park as she might have an accident on the way.
The one loophole is to buy an annual car insurance from a firm(I won't give the link)and use that; similar to the idea Davel proposed above for American Express. TCD's response(bear in mind, well over 2 years ago) was I needed to send the policy to them and then they would examine it to see if it provided adequate cover. They would not let you book a fly drive first and then check the insurance. After they had agreed the policy cover was adequate, a flight could be booked(if still available)
In short they made crystal clear that they would put every obstacle in your way.
You contract for a Fly/drive and if you don't drive you are in breach of that contract it would appear and if you do drive, you pay through the nose!
I have little doubt people get away with it as Dollar might not cross-check with TCD. However if you refuse to pay their vastly overpriced insurance at the time of booking, your ticket(literally) might be marked and TCD check.
As Tonish said above, would you be relaxed on holiday with the chance, however slight, that you might not have a flight home?
People do this all the time with virgin, book a fly drive and never pick the car up at the airport. Where is the difference with booking with travel city? I cannot see them not putting you on the flight home.
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Nikki D
Where is the difference with booking with travel city? [/quote]One big difference is the cost of the car hire. A colleague was charged £800 for a 7 seater for 2 weeks, 2 years ago. The same car through this site was £360 at that time.
Katys Grandad
12-10-2007, 12:03
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Nikki D
People do this all the time with virgin, book a fly drive and never pick the car up at the airport. Where is the difference with booking with travel city? I cannot see them not putting you on the flight home.
[/quote]
I do understand your point Nikki and think you might be right but it's easy for us all to express an opinion when it isn't our money and holiday at stake. When you're standing at check-in and there's a problem getting home the fact that others do it with a different carrier doesn't carry much weight.
For what it's worth, my advice to the OP is to avoid Travel City Direct, pay a little more and eliminate the risk, which I agree might not be that significant. Of course, that's also easy for me to say!
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Nikki D
People do this all the time with virgin, book a fly drive and never pick the car up at the airport. Where is the difference with booking with travel city? I cannot see them not putting you on the flight home.
[/quote]
With TCD its a whole different ball game Nikki[msnscared] You cannot compare dealing with Virgin compared to dealing with TCD they are poles apart, Robert and Katys Grandad are both spot on with their advice IMHO[msnsmile2]
Robert5988
12-10-2007, 15:22
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:People do this all the time with virgin, book a fly drive and never pick the car up at the airport. Where is the difference with booking with travel city? I cannot see them not putting you on the flight home.[/quote]
The difference, as the OP stated, is that TCD charge a lot less for a Fly/Drive than they do for a flight ticket alone. Obviously they do this to ensure they get a huge profit on their insurance.
Anyway when I tried they wouldn't even let me book a fly/drive without paying for the insurance up front. That may be down to the individual call centre operator.
In my dispute, that I took to ABTA, the head of their Cardiff operation made it clear that they would enforce that condition. If they let you book and not pay for insurance, and honour your ticket back home, what other sanction do they have?
Betty Boo
12-10-2007, 15:37
Thanks for all your advice. Considering how much it will save us to take the risk I am beginning to think it isn't worth risking. Even though people have got away with it in the past, companies will soon cotton on to the fact. I may ring Amex up first and get a quote for car insurance and see if thats any cheaper than TC.
Thanks Again for all your advice.
BB
Katys Grandad
12-10-2007, 15:52
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Betty Boo
Thanks for all your advice. Considering how much it will save us to take the risk I am beginning to think it isn't worth risking. Even though people have got away with it in the past, companies will soon cotton on to the fact. I may ring Amex up first and get a quote for car insurance and see if thats any cheaper than TC.
Thanks Again for all your advice.
BB[/quote]Good luck. I for one would be interested to hear how it works out.
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Betty Boo
I may ring Amex up first and get a quote for car insurance and see if thats any cheaper than TC.
BB[/quote]I had this policy for some years as I had frequent business travel as well as U.S. holidays. The car option is only on their Annual Premier Plus policy and this currently costs £270 for family cover which is for two adults and any number of your children up to the age of 21
The link below will take you to the insurance section of their site and I have copied the car details underneath.
Dave
================================================== =
http://www.americanexpress.com/uk/personal/insurance/travel/policytypes.shtml#
North American Car Hire
Top Up Liability to US $1 million
plus:
Bodily injury in/getting in/out of vehicle (uninsured/unidentified driver) to US $100,000
CDW to US $50,000
including:
Loss of use of rental vehicle to £210
£15 per 24 hrs
Drop off charges to £200
Does it include UMP - uninsured motorist protection, a great necessity in a country where so many cars are uninsured?