Thrifty - Horrible Experience at Dollar and Thrifty at MCO

I arrived at MCO and went to Dollar to pick up my Lock Low and Go rental and was told that an underage fee would be charged despite my corporate code normally waving it (AGE24 code was on the confirmation) because I'd booked a promotional rate. I was told to rebook, but rates and increased so I cancelled it and used my backup Thrifty reservation for an economy car.

I ran into the same problem at Thrifty, and they said they'd had multiple people from my company with the same problem that day and no resolution.I was told that they couldn't do anything and was handed a phone to talk to customer service. While I was on the phone the rep was blaming customer service, customer service was blaming the rep, the rep was saying my company had taken away the underage fee waiver, and at one point said I had only put a corporate account name on my reservation but hadn't entered the code for it. (How that one would be possible is beyond me). Even today, two weeks later, it still states
"Corporate Rate Includes:
* Any applicable underage fee (ages 21-24)" on the car & rate page when I go to book.

Two hours after landing I got a car with no underage fee. It was worth it being that it was a 15 day rental, but I think I"m done with Thrifty. Also, I was offered an upgrade to full size for $10.99 (price of some form of insurance I assume), then "half off" at $5.99 including free tolls, and I finally accepted at $3.99 for just the upgrade. The total price was correct and I signed the agreement, but I later noticed that I was changed for "Emergency Sickness Protection rather than the upgrade itself," which it turns out is a health insurance plan only valid for non-US citizens. Any thoughts on that? Is it a common practice? Not to mention that she was attempting to sell me the prepaid fuel option by telling me that gas is more than $5 a gallon near the airport. The cheapest gas I bought the whole trip was $2.30 a gallon at the closest station to the airport I know of.

Dollar and Thrifty are under the same ownership, so it does not seem surprising that problems with one are the same as problems with the other. It's the same story with Avis/Budget and National/Alamo.

Dollar and Thrifty are under the same ownership, so it does not seem surprising that problems with one are the same as problems with the other. It's the same story with Avis/Budget and National/Alamo.

Yeah, I wasn't surprised the problem was the same. I have corporate codes for both that give the exact same rates. I was more amazed by their incompetence than the problem itself.

Most corporate accounts are set up with negotiated rates only for economy, compact, intermediate, standard, fullsize, minivan, and SUV. (Some accounts only actually include the basic 5 cars--economy through fullsize--and omit the minivan and standard SUV.) Specialty vehicles, such as other classes of SUVs, convertibles, and premium cars, may not fall under the terms of the corporate account. Lock Low & Go is a specialty car class and is not part of the negotiated corporate rate structure and benefit plan. Therefore, since it wasn't booked at a corporate rate (since no corporate rate exists for the Lock Low & Go), the underage fee waiver would not apply.

Same thing at Thrifty. The Thrifty website allows you to enter a corporate code but then select to view "standard rates" (i.e. retail, or non-corporate, rates), which may be lower than your corporate rates. However, by booking one of these standard rates, your corporate benefits, including the udnerage fee waiver, would not apply. The reservation will show the company name, but the benefits would not apply (which is probably what the agent meant when she said the name had been entered but not the code--when booked like this, the code may not come through into their system).

I'm not necessarily saying this is what happened--I'm just saying that this is one possible explanation, and you should double check that it was not due to an error on your part in booking the reservation outside of the normal corporate account parameters before pointing the finger at Dollar or Thrifty. Regardless, it does sound like it wasn't necessarily handled in the best manner by either the agent or the customer service person on the phone, but these are things that I wouldn't expect everyone to know. You may wish to discuss these issues with the corporate accounts department, who may be able to effect change (they're strongly motivated to keep their accounts happy). You can reach them at 1-800-331-3550.

Most corporate accounts are set up with negotiated rates only for economy, compact, intermediate, standard, fullsize, minivan, and SUV. (Some accounts only actually include the basic 5 cars--economy through fullsize--and omit the minivan and standard SUV.) Specialty vehicles, such as other classes of SUVs, convertibles, and premium cars, may not fall under the terms of the corporate account. Lock Low & Go is a specialty car class and is not part of the negotiated corporate rate structure and benefit plan. Therefore, since it wasn't booked at a corporate rate (since no corporate rate exists for the Lock Low & Go), the underage fee waiver would not apply.

Same thing at Thrifty. The Thrifty website allows you to enter a corporate code but then select to view "standard rates" (i.e. retail, or non-corporate, rates), which may be lower than your corporate rates. However, by booking one of these standard rates, your corporate benefits, including the udnerage fee waiver, would not apply. The reservation will show the company name, but the benefits would not apply (which is probably what the agent meant when she said the name had been entered but not the code--when booked like this, the code may not come through into their system).

I'm not necessarily saying this is what happened--I'm just saying that this is one possible explanation, and you should double check that it was not due to an error on your part in booking the reservation outside of the normal corporate account parameters before pointing the finger at Dollar or Thrifty. Regardless, it does sound like it wasn't necessarily handled in the best manner by either the agent or the customer service person on the phone, but these are things that I wouldn't expect everyone to know. You may wish to discuss these issues with the corporate accounts department, who may be able to effect change (they're strongly motivated to keep their accounts happy). You can reach them at 1-800-331-3550.

The possibility that this was caused by the rate I got being lower than my normal corporate rate did cross my mind, but I had no way to book at the standard rate and took what came up when I selected my dates and entered the code. I know about the option to select standard rates and wouldn't expect the underage fee to be waived in that case, but I definitely didn't select it. Could there be a glitch that was offering me standard rates while still listing corporate benefits and not offering me an option to choose otherwise?

The Lock Low & Go explanation makes sense too. I've rented both SUVs and a convertible using the code and didn't have a problem, but I could see where Lock Low & Go would be a different situation.

A friend actually picked up a two week economy rental booked using the same code from Thrifty at MCO and ran into the same problem, but I'd instructed him to print the page that states the underage fee waiver and they credited it back without much hassle before he got the car (opposite of my experience where the agent said she'd be fired if she gave me a credit.

Both the Dollar and Thrifty discounts have since been removed from our directory recently after being there for at least two years, so I have a feeling the codes are just no longer valid. However, they still work on the reservations page and list the same benefits as before.

Not to mention that she was attempting to sell me the prepaid fuel option by telling me that gas is more than $5 a gallon near the airport. The cheapest gas I bought the whole trip was $2.30 a gallon at the closest station to the airport I know of.

There's a gas station, unbranded, on the same strip where many of the car rental agencies are situated. I believe it's right opposite the Hertz. They don't post a gas price outside but when you go to the pump you will find that the prices are highly inflated. Last November when gas was I believe $2 a gallon, they were charging $4.99. That's how the car rental companies can say there is expensive gas nearby. It isn't a lie, but a gas store owner that is preying on people who don't know, or in a rush to return their car before their flight. There's the normal cheaper options a mile down the road. A Wendy's is affiliated with the gas station. FWIW the city had been trying to shut the guy down for years but technically he isn't doing anything illegal.

I arrived at MCO and went to Dollar to pick up my Lock Low and Go rental and was told that an underage fee would be charged despite my corporate code normally waving it (AGE24 code was on the confirmation) because I'd booked a promotional rate. I was told to rebook, but rates and increased so I cancelled it and used my backup Thrifty reservation for an economy car.

I ran into the same problem at Thrifty, and they said they'd had multiple people from my company with the same problem that day and no resolution.I was told that they couldn't do anything and was handed a phone to talk to customer service. While I was on the phone the rep was blaming customer service, customer service was blaming the rep, the rep was saying my company had taken away the underage fee waiver, and at one point said I had only put a corporate account name on my reservation but hadn't entered the code for it. (How that one would be possible is beyond me). Even today, two weeks later, it still states
"Corporate Rate Includes:
* Any applicable underage fee (ages 21-24)" on the car & rate page when I go to book.

Two hours after landing I got a car with no underage fee. It was worth it being that it was a 15 day rental, but I think I"m done with Thrifty. Also, I was offered an upgrade to full size for $10.99 (price of some form of insurance I assume), then "half off" at $5.99 including free tolls, and I finally accepted at $3.99 for just the upgrade. The total price was correct and I signed the agreement, but I later noticed that I was changed for "Emergency Sickness Protection rather than the upgrade itself," which it turns out is a health insurance plan only valid for non-US citizens. Any thoughts on that? Is it a common practice? Not to mention that she was attempting to sell me the prepaid fuel option by telling me that gas is more than $5 a gallon near the airport. The cheapest gas I bought the whole trip was $2.30 a gallon at the closest station to the airport I know of.

First off, ALWAYS check this before you go: http://www.gasbuddy.com/

It lists gas prices all over the country and you can check beforehand if it is worth it to buy the prepaid gas. I myself only buy it when I am expecting to travel long distances in the car.

Secondly, I agree. Dollar is the WORST rental car company out there. I could tell you many, many stories of suffering (including legal action, which I won) before I ditched them for good. Thrifty is another brand under the same company, so I avoid them too.

Complaning to them will do you no good, they don't care. You may have a corp code with them, but unless your company insists, go elsewhere. And don't be fooled by their prices..they are the same as everyone else, but don't include fees in their advertised prices.