National forced me to upgrade from midsize to full size
Jan 30, 2016, 9:57 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 765
National forced me to upgrade from midsize to full size
I did a one way from an airport to a local branch. I reserved a full size at the airport. I picked a mid size on purpose rather than a full size from the aisle.
Dropped it at a local branch, and I had another reservation for a full size at the local branch. I tried to keep the same car at the local branch. They wouldn't let me keep the mid size car. Nor did they let me pick the same model car I saw on the lot there. I'm Executive Elite and the attendant said that if he doesn't give me the same class as reserved or an upgrade it would hurt his score.
This is a case of a management policy intended to benefit the most loyal customers backfiring, and actually inconveniencing a loyal customer. Why can't they let a customer who wants to downgrade get a downgrade?
Dropped it at a local branch, and I had another reservation for a full size at the local branch. I tried to keep the same car at the local branch. They wouldn't let me keep the mid size car. Nor did they let me pick the same model car I saw on the lot there. I'm Executive Elite and the attendant said that if he doesn't give me the same class as reserved or an upgrade it would hurt his score.
This is a case of a management policy intended to benefit the most loyal customers backfiring, and actually inconveniencing a loyal customer. Why can't they let a customer who wants to downgrade get a downgrade?
Jan 30, 2016, 10:10 am
#2
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 948
I did a one way from an airport to a local branch. I reserved a full size at the airport. I picked a mid size on purpose rather than a full size from the aisle.
Dropped it at a local branch, and I had another reservation for a full size at the local branch. I tried to keep the same car at the local branch. They wouldn't let me keep the mid size car. Nor did they let me pick the same model car I saw on the lot there. I'm Executive Elite and the attendant said that if he doesn't give me the same class as reserved or an upgrade it would hurt his score.
This is a case of a management policy intended to benefit the most loyal customers backfiring, and actually inconveniencing a loyal customer. Why can't they let a customer who wants to downgrade get a downgrade?
Dropped it at a local branch, and I had another reservation for a full size at the local branch. I tried to keep the same car at the local branch. They wouldn't let me keep the mid size car. Nor did they let me pick the same model car I saw on the lot there. I'm Executive Elite and the attendant said that if he doesn't give me the same class as reserved or an upgrade it would hurt his score.
This is a case of a management policy intended to benefit the most loyal customers backfiring, and actually inconveniencing a loyal customer. Why can't they let a customer who wants to downgrade get a downgrade?
Jan 30, 2016, 10:43 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Bye Delta
Programs: AA EXP, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, Hyatt Plat, Marriott Plat, Nat'l Exec Elite, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 16,264
Why didn't you change your reservation at the local branch to midsize? Or barring that, cancel the full size and book a new midsize reservation?
Jan 31, 2016, 4:44 pm
#5
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Houston, TX/Australia
Programs: AA EXP/Exec Citi, NZ* G, Nat EE, Avis PP, HH Gold
Posts: 649
Or... ask about cancelling the new reservation and simply extending the original one?
Feb 1, 2016, 6:56 am
#6
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: NYC
Programs: AA 2MM, Bonvoy LTT, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,635
I'm also speculating OP had a one way from the local branch back to airport and system might have no one-way mid-size reservation available last minute as a new or modify reservation.
Feb 1, 2016, 11:40 am
#7
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Paradise
Posts: 1,617
If he only wanted a midsize class of car, why not simply book it. Unless the midsize was priced higher than a fullsize (which sometimes happens), he'd be paying the same price regardless as a EE. Otherwise just accept the fullsize and move on. I agree with the attendant. Why should he hurt his station score simply because you booked bigger than you wanted.
Feb 1, 2016, 1:31 pm
#9
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Boston MA
Programs: Delta Platinum, Delta Million Miler,Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Hertz Presidents Circle, Delta Sky Club
Posts: 663
Feb 1, 2016, 1:56 pm
#10
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 458
Probably because doing it his way meant if the midsize selection sucked he could take a fullsize, if he'd rented midsize and they only had junk on the lot he'd be out of luck.
Feb 1, 2016, 5:57 pm
#11
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Houston, TX/Australia
Programs: AA EXP/Exec Citi, NZ* G, Nat EE, Avis PP, HH Gold
Posts: 649
So... it sounds like the OP tried to play the system to his advantage to give himself midsize/fullsize options and avoid paying airport related fees, and instead ended up on the wrong side of a rule/metric that is in place to keep him (and other elites) from getting screwed by poor inventory management.
Please forgive me for getting a bit of a chuckle out of this.
I still don't understand why the reservation couldn't be changed at the local branch to give him a midsize. OP, did you ask if the manager could change the reservation?
Please forgive me for getting a bit of a chuckle out of this.
I still don't understand why the reservation couldn't be changed at the local branch to give him a midsize. OP, did you ask if the manager could change the reservation?