Car Rental Collection Delays

[floridadreamvilla.co.uk]

I was off the plane at in my rental car at MCO in about half an hour two weeks ago - a personal best for me. I did not have to queue in line at immigration and was the first to the line at the Dollar desk [msnsmile2]

[Cruella DeVilla]

We had a good experience last week with Alamo, I waited for the bags, Mr CDV went downstairs and straight to the top of the queue while everyone else was still waiting for luggage. He came up and then I went down to sign agreement. The girl had said just tell your wife to come straight to the front of the queue. The girl I needed was working off to the side so I did not feel like I was jumping the main queue when I went down. Plenty of cars available too.

[florida4sun]

If the queue is unreasonably long I always used to go to the express check in (always empty). If queried I ask them to check with the booking agent, as this is a major hassle they just carry on.
Although the best option is to send one of your party straight to the car hire counter before you get a whole jumbo full of passengers in the queue.


<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Robert5988
My son went out to Florida last Friday(Good Friday). He flew Continental from Manchester to Newark and was going to Melbourne airport(about 60 miles SE of Orlando). However plane left Manchester over 4 hours late, missed his connection and finished up at Orlando at Midnight some 22 hours after leaving home.

He had a voucher for an Alamo car. However there were only 2 desk clerks, a long queue, and he waited a further two and a half hours to get a car. He and the many(mainly Americans) in front and behind him in the queue were highly un-amused.

This is the second time he has had a similar wait – the last time on a direct flight from Gatwick arriving mid-afternoon.

In the many times I have used Alamo at MCO I have only had a couple of lengthy waits in the queue - never more than an hour – however I know lots of people who have had horrendous delays.

I cannot understand the logic of only having minimal staff on duty at holiday times when they must know that they have many customers arriving – nearly all with pre-paid vouchers.

At a time when Airlines have to pay compensation for delays, it seems a pity that car rental companies do not face similar sanctions.

[/quote]

[Robert5988]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote: If the queue is unreasonably long I always used to go to the express check in (always empty). If queried I ask them to check with the booking agent, as this is a major hassle they just carry on.
Although the best option is to send one of your party straight to the car hire counter before you get a whole jumbo full of passengers in the queue.
[/quote]
Martin,
My son arrived on an internal flight(as Blott and I normally do - albeit not together you understand!!)and there is usually not much of a queue.
The point was it was late night, prior to Easter Holiday weekend and there were not enough staff on duty.
I agree that you can 'jump the queue' doing as you suggest but it still doesn't solve the problem of insufficient staff.

I am there tomorrow - lets hope I don't have the same problem.

[chrizzy100]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Robert5988
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote: If the queue is unreasonably long I always used to go to the express check in (always empty). If queried I ask them to check with the booking agent, as this is a major hassle they just carry on.
Although the best option is to send one of your party straight to the car hire counter before you get a whole jumbo full of passengers in the queue.
[/quote]
Martin,
My son arrived on an internal flight(as Blott and I normally do - albeit not together you understand!!)and there is usually not much of a queue.
The point was it was late night, prior to Easter Holiday weekend and there were not enough staff on duty.
I agree that you can 'jump the queue' doing as you suggest but it still doesn't solve the problem of insufficient staff.

I am there tomorrow - lets hope I don't have the same problem.
[/quote]

Its OK Robert....we'll not tell anyone about you and Blott.....[msnwink][msnwink][msnwink][msnwink] your slip up is safe with us......hehehehehe

[heathercobbett]

In all the years we have been going out we have only had a long wait once and they upgraded us free of charge

[Susan J]

What I don't understand, is why, when you have pre paid for a 7 seater [ or whatever] they haven't got the car you ordered and paid for - how disorganised is that!!

[SunLover]

We've only had one long wait (1 hour) at Orlando International at the Dollar desk, and in fairness, that was because it was Jan 1st, and our plane had arrived about 40 minutes early. The staff however were running around like headless chickens trying to accommodate everyone, and in the end, we were upgraded from a 2 door compact to a brand new seven seater Grand Voyager, which was not only brilliant to drive, but turned out to be a godsend, as we could get loads of Home Depot type shopping all in one trip !

[pieman790]

We tend to fly in-direct into MCO like Blott and have never had to wait no more than 30 mins. In fact when we last picked the car up at Dollar we walked to the front of the queue.
If you have ever rented Alamo before they normally save your details on their computer so they do have to type them back in again which does save a little time.

[blott]

We've surpassed ourselves this time and had nil wait yesterday at Orlando International with Dollar! There was no-one waiting at all when we arrived around 5 pm and we got our car straight away at the garage area, max 5 mins altogether!