Car Rental Collection Delays

[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.

[Cruella DeVilla]

Same thing happened to uswith Hertz. Fort Myers International airport was the last time, we had to wait 45 minutes in the baking sun and when the car turned up it was obvious it had just been retured (we had prebooked) it was not the type we had ordered, was still wet from a cats lick in the carwash and still stunk of smoke and was dirty. We were so threaders we just took it but will never hire from them again. Too many other to choose from. We hire on average 4 times a year for at least 2 weeks maybe 3 at a time, so someone else is seeing our dollars.

[Harmony]

We normally fly into Tampa airport as it's only a 80 minute drive and is never as busy as the Orlando airports. The longest wait we've had was only 25 minutes.

Jeff

[floridadreamvilla.co.uk]

We've never had a long delay at Orlando - I think it's just swings and roundabouts. We have turned up at the Dollar desk and seen a long line at the Alamo desk and vice versa. Sometimes you can just be unlucky.

I do agree that they sometimes need more staff at peak times though.

[Katys Grandad]

In stark contrast, the car rental firms never hesiatate to add hefty charges if you take the car back even a few minutes late.

I agree you can be just unlucky sometimes. I collected a car from Richmond VA through Hertz a couple of weeks ago. The rental agent came out to the lot with us and asked us which we wanted, pointing out the newer cars and those with extras such as SAT NAV and digital radios for no extra charge. I really couldn't have asked for more.

[Magical Dreams]

We too must have been very lucky, in the last 7 years, we have never had a long wait.

This time (Feb/Mar) we found a discrepancy on our rental voucher while we were in Florida, We had booked the car for 10 days, but realised on the 9th day that the agreement ran out on the 8th day, a quick phone call to Dollar, and it was sorted in 2 minutes flat.
No Problems, no hassle, no charge (As I suppose I should have double checked when I signed the agreement)
[msncool]

[supersneak]

Last year we received a pre check-in form from Alamo that had to be returned about a fortnight before travel. This allowed us to use the priority (queue jumping) desk at Alamo MCO. Hope we get the same this year.

[trevlad]

sanford was our best, last year. bags came off the plane first and we were literally minutes doing paperwork before heading off out of the airport. a little further drive wise but beats the pants off mco

[blott]

Because we tend to get indirect flights, our arrival at Orlando is on a domestic flight. Quite a few of the pssengers on domestic flights are met at the airport and we've consequently never had a delay at the car rental desk at Orlando airport since we've been doing this. There was no other renter anywhere near the Dollar desk when we arrived in December.

However, whenever we've travelled on a direct flight, the world and his wife have been in the queue for the rental car desk (always seems to be the one we're renting with, just like Post Office and bank queues!).

[wilfy]

Last Saturday, both Dollar + Alamo had queues at mco. I cannot say for alamo,but Dollar had between 3 and 4 people on, and it took 60 minutes just to get to the front of the queue. We had ordered a 7 seater for 5 adults plus luggage. However, they were waiting on a delivery from another site of 7+ seater vehicles. Simple choice, take a 4x4 for now or wait anywhere from 3 hours plus for a 7 seater. Luckily we and luggage could fit into a 4x4. But come going home time we will have to change, just to fit the luggage in.

The 4x4 (jeep something) very nice, but the remote control locking system is driving me nuts.