Hertz - No vehicles at MCO

I have been trying for the last two days to book a car at Orlando for Sat 13 March.

Every time I get "We're sorry there are no vehicles available for this request".

I am Platinum with *wood and EXP with AA; with both of them they guarantee to accomodate you even if they are sold out. Obviously Hertz has a different attitude.

I thought MCO was one of their biggest operations, so I do not understand how they can run out of vehicles.


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It's spring break time. Same thing happened to me a few weeks ago during bike week. I ended up making a reservation with Dollar and then tried going up to the Hertz counter when I got there to see if Hertz had anything and they said they were completelly sold out. Gold and 5* made no difference to them.

Same thing happened last month at FLL (Boat Show). I tried to make a reservation in October and there were no cars! I called the station manager who booked my reservation.



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"I was once dissappointed that I didn't get an upgrade, then I saw a homeless man without shoes. Somehow, the upgrade didn't seem all that important."

"I am Platinum with *wood and EXP with AA; with both of them they guarantee to accomodate you even if they are sold out. Obviously Hertz has a different attitude."

It's only for SPG Platinums that Starwood make that offer and only for AA Executive Platinum that AA make that offer to. They do not offer it to all and sundry

Hertz offer the same benefit to President Circle members. They will always make a A-D class car availabale for PC members.

Dave

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by slowingdog:
It's spring break time. </font>

Even worse. It's March break for all the primary/secondary schools here in Ontario so Orlando is about to fill up with hoards of us Canadians making our annual pilgrimage to see the Giant Mouse.

See you there!

I have invoked the PC guarantee once at Hertz in Denver. All agencies were sold out (including Hertz), but they were able to get me a midsize car at my corporate rate within the hour. (The PC guarantee actually gives Hertz two hours to provide you a car.)

So I consider the benefit that Hertz provides to President Circle members to be roughly comparable to what Starwood or AA would provide to top tier members.

Sadly, Hertz eventually knocked me down to 5-Star so I don't get this benefit anymore.

Slightly off-topic, but I learned long ago that pretty much the whole state of Florida must be avoided in March. People are just too wiggy about the whole Spring Break thing...

I earned and used the benefits of PC last year during the blackout in YYZ. They have me hooked after that. We went to MCO during the Daytona 500 and PC allowed us to use free rental certs even during this period.

They have saved my butt 2 times in under 6 months and I will make sure to get PC again for next year. Already well on my way http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

If you want to have a car when the stations are sold out, you had better be a PC member. The same kind of service for the top elite members of the hotels is the same way PC treats you. It's worth the time to get there just for this reason.

Also with the Disneyworld and other attractions, this is the time of year EVERYONE goes because it's not to hot and very nice. That is what happens when you go to a town where the tourist rule during certain periods.

[This message has been edited by NCRBILL (edited Mar 08, 2004).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by cattle:
I earned and used the benefits of PC last year during the blackout in YYZ. They have me hooked after that. We went to MCO during the Daytona 500 and PC allowed us to use free rental certs even during this period.

They have saved my butt 2 times in under 6 months and I will make sure to get PC again for next year. Already well on my way http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif</font>


When do you invoke the PC guarantee? When you walk up to the counter or before you get there over the phone?

The 2 times I have invoked the PC guarantee it was over the phone. The first time I walked into a local office and told them I needed a car, was promptly told they were sold out. I mentioned I was PC and spoke of the 2 hr guarantee - she told me it only worked when you called the 1-800 line, they did the override. Compliments of a huge screwup on their behalf on another matter, the manager ended up getting involved but I still got a car.

2nd time I just called directly and got it.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by MapleLeaf:
The 2 times I have invoked the PC guarantee it was over the phone. The first time I walked into a local office and told them I needed a car, was promptly told they were sold out. I mentioned I was PC and spoke of the 2 hr guarantee - she told me it only worked when you called the 1-800 line, they did the override. Compliments of a huge screwup on their behalf on another matter, the manager ended up getting involved but I still got a car.

2nd time I just called directly and got it.</font>

What happens after that? Are you at their mercy with regards to car class and rate? How much say do you get when they try to put you in a compact at a full-size rate, for example? Can you walk away or are you committed once the car is made available to you? So many questions, thanks for the answers.

When I used the PC guarantee, they gave me the car preference I had in my profile. I always want a full size so that is what they gave me.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by yashan:
What happens after that? Are you at their mercy with regards to car class and rate? How much say do you get when they try to put you in a compact at a full-size rate, for example? Can you walk away or are you committed once the car is made available to you? So many questions, thanks for the answers.

</font>
My CDP has fairly standard rates for all sizes of vehicles, regardless of season - when I did the override I got my CDP rate so no complaints. Also I always rent a small car and take the next size upgrade. In these cases as well, Hertz upgraded me to a larger car, without extra costs.

This is the biggest benefit of PC - getting a car when you need it.

When I invoked it they gave me my daily rate and a full size car (my profile) with no upgrade as PC. That really didn't bother me at all as I got something bigger than a Ford Focus which is what I figured I would be getting.

Watch out, that PC guarantee doesn't work at Hertz franchisees. I tried to invoke it at Green Bay when the Packers played the Eagles for a Monday night game last fall, and was told no way no how could I get a car. I had to rent from Budget for a day, return on Tuesday and Hertz took care of me.

ontherun