Moral: Don't leave Avis lot without checking your contract
Feb 8, 2016, 10:29 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: MDW/ORD and the late lamented Meigs Field...
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Moral: Don't leave Avis lot without checking your contract
Bad news, good news story: I misconnected with my flight to OGG several weeks ago, and used the unexpected 5 hour layover to call the OGG Avis location to warn that I'd be arriving later than planned (but same day). Asst mgr thanked me, said the rez had been noted.
Get to OGG, uneventful rental, drop off car paperlessly 3 weeks later. Get home and check the e-receipt next day - it was almost TWICE the price on my reservation!
Called Avis. First agent was rude, insisted I had CHANGED the reservation when I called OGG and that was the correct charge, "I have to put you on hold" and disconnected me! Second agent was better, but agreed that the rez showed that it had been REBOOKED when I called about my delay, ergo astronomical rate. I told story again, and she asked me to send the original rez (made March 2015). Thank heavens I had it, as well as the reconfirm 2 days before arrival.
Three days later - Avis email confirming my original rate. Two more days - LARGE refund to my credit card.
MORAL: 1. Keep those reservation emails until you have your final receipt. 2. Check your contract when you get it, to make sure you are being charged what you expect. (D'oh)
Get to OGG, uneventful rental, drop off car paperlessly 3 weeks later. Get home and check the e-receipt next day - it was almost TWICE the price on my reservation!
Called Avis. First agent was rude, insisted I had CHANGED the reservation when I called OGG and that was the correct charge, "I have to put you on hold" and disconnected me! Second agent was better, but agreed that the rez showed that it had been REBOOKED when I called about my delay, ergo astronomical rate. I told story again, and she asked me to send the original rez (made March 2015). Thank heavens I had it, as well as the reconfirm 2 days before arrival.
Three days later - Avis email confirming my original rate. Two more days - LARGE refund to my credit card.
MORAL: 1. Keep those reservation emails until you have your final receipt. 2. Check your contract when you get it, to make sure you are being charged what you expect. (D'oh)
Feb 8, 2016, 6:51 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,933
If you use the Avis website to change your arrival flight information, you can right then and there in front of you whether that's changing the rate or not. So I prefer to do it online, rather than on a voice call.
If you then fear they might not notice that change, it might be better to then call the Avis rental location where you're picking up the car, and alert them that you updated your arrival flight information, rather than calling Avis central.
But IMHO do the change online first, and only then call to point it out to whoever you want to point it out to. That way, on the call, they're not making a change to the reservation, just noticing what you already changed.
If you then fear they might not notice that change, it might be better to then call the Avis rental location where you're picking up the car, and alert them that you updated your arrival flight information, rather than calling Avis central.
But IMHO do the change online first, and only then call to point it out to whoever you want to point it out to. That way, on the call, they're not making a change to the reservation, just noticing what you already changed.
Feb 8, 2016, 11:34 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
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Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
Moral: Don't leave any rental-car lot without checking your contract.
Moral: Don't leave any rental-car lot without checking your contract.
Feb 9, 2016, 3:00 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: MDW/ORD and the late lamented Meigs Field...
Programs: UA 1MM Premier 1K, Hilton Gold, Marriott Titanium/ LT
Posts: 1,229
If you use the Avis website to change your arrival flight information, you can right then and there in front of you whether that's changing the rate or not. So I prefer to do it online, rather than on a voice call.
If you then fear they might not notice that change, it might be better to then call the Avis rental location where you're picking up the car, and alert them that you updated your arrival flight information, rather than calling Avis central.
But IMHO do the change online first, and only then call to point it out to whoever you want to point it out to. That way, on the call, they're not making a change to the reservation, just noticing what you already changed.
If you then fear they might not notice that change, it might be better to then call the Avis rental location where you're picking up the car, and alert them that you updated your arrival flight information, rather than calling Avis central.
But IMHO do the change online first, and only then call to point it out to whoever you want to point it out to. That way, on the call, they're not making a change to the reservation, just noticing what you already changed.
But you are right - at least you can see what's happening if you try it online, and if the change results in an increase, just reject the modification, stick with the original rez, and phone instead. (and then check your contract and receipt!)
Feb 9, 2016, 6:51 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,933
My limited experience is that the website automatically re-calculates the contract if you invoke the "modify" function. In many cases, this *doesn't* change the rate, but for vacation-area rentals where short-notice rental rates are sky-high compared to 6-9 months out, a near-in change often will result in a massive increase (as here). Same problem if the location shows no more availability for your car class.
But you are right - at least you can see what's happening if you try it online, and if the change results in an increase, just reject the modification, stick with the original rez, and phone instead. (and then check your contract and receipt!)
But you are right - at least you can see what's happening if you try it online, and if the change results in an increase, just reject the modification, stick with the original rez, and phone instead. (and then check your contract and receipt!)
I know I did it once, but of course the Avis website keeps changing, so I'm not sure if what I did then is still possible now. (And I don't have in existing Avis reservation to experiment on right now.)
Feb 9, 2016, 7:45 pm
#7
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
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Posts: 50,262
Has nothing to do with Avis. Always check the key contract provisions in the email confirmation, on the document at pickup and on the dropoff receipt.
The contract still permits post-dropoff modifications for damage and the like, but not for rate.
The contract still permits post-dropoff modifications for damage and the like, but not for rate.
Feb 11, 2016, 1:35 pm
#8
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Now in SLC
Programs: DL GM 1MM, MR LT Titanium
Posts: 4,116
I once got burned at SAN where I arrived right on time but switched the credit card used to pay for the reservation at the counter upon arrival. A $150 rental became $600! I called Avis from the airport once I noticed; it took 6 weeks and two more phone calls but it got straightened out and a refund hit my credit card. Had I looked at my contract upon re-printing in SAN, I would've caught it immediately.