Alamo early return policy can double your costs
Feb 17, 2008, 10:09 am
#16
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Texas
Programs: Hyatt Glob (Barely); Marriott Plat Life; AA Up and Down Now Plat; Hilton, UA, BA, HA Peasant
Posts: 2,669
Avis told me directly (when bringing back a day early) they did not charge early return on direct bookings, but by virtue of contract arrangements had to on third party bookings. (Of course, Avis is the home of base rate mistakes, so there is still something to watch).
At Hertz I am normally charged for the remaining day at the quoted price, which does not really bother me since I agreed to rent that long.
Other's experiences above seem to have varied.
Feb 25, 2008, 4:45 pm
#17
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Sunny Florida
Posts: 637
Twice I've taken my car back to thrifty early, Tampa both times. once was a day early. no problems. The other was two days early, original 3 days rental and kept it for one day. Only charged one day at quoted rate. Nice people.
Mar 30, 2008, 10:51 am
#18
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,236
Avis told me last year that the local supervisor could hang the contract on the wall and check it in whenever I needed.
Alamo seems to be the culprit here. The reason I hear for renting from them the most is unlimited mileage without state restrictions when not arriving by air.
I had a simular problem with budget recently. My flight was cancelled causing me to be delayed 5 hours. I called an hour before the reserved time and an agent said she must cancel my reservation if I can not pick it up within 3 hours of the stated time. She then booked me a new reservation at a higher price.
This is all getting very consumer unfriendly. The airlines say if it is is a mecanical problem (if it isn't they will find a mechanical problem if they need to) then they are not responsible. I have shown up and there not be any cars available and the car rental agency just says sorry. They overbook expecting no-shows but the expect the consumer to be held to a strict contract.
Same with hotels.
everyone expects the consumer to be exact in their timing but those setting the timing say we are not responsible.
Alamo seems to be the culprit here. The reason I hear for renting from them the most is unlimited mileage without state restrictions when not arriving by air.
I had a simular problem with budget recently. My flight was cancelled causing me to be delayed 5 hours. I called an hour before the reserved time and an agent said she must cancel my reservation if I can not pick it up within 3 hours of the stated time. She then booked me a new reservation at a higher price.
This is all getting very consumer unfriendly. The airlines say if it is is a mecanical problem (if it isn't they will find a mechanical problem if they need to) then they are not responsible. I have shown up and there not be any cars available and the car rental agency just says sorry. They overbook expecting no-shows but the expect the consumer to be held to a strict contract.
Same with hotels.
everyone expects the consumer to be exact in their timing but those setting the timing say we are not responsible.
Apr 1, 2008, 5:51 pm
#19
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: United States
Programs: UA, AA, DL, Amtrak
Posts: 4,647
Apr 1, 2008, 6:11 pm
#20
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: United States
Programs: UA, AA, DL, Amtrak
Posts: 4,647
Here's where we understand it came from...
In a Small market...someone books a car for say 10 days but keeps it 3...they get charged for 3 and the flat $15 early return fee to make up for what they thought was "guaranteed revenue" for 10 days. Small markets can't make up those dollars like large markets. It's like an offset. However the software can't tell large from small market so it's standard across the board. Kinda like changing your plane ticket. You change your ticket it costs money even thought the seat is the same and they have seats available. Doesn't make sense but they do it.
It's considered loss of guaranteed revenue, offset. When you get those way low rates from Alamo there are penalties for changing the perameters. Early return fees are one of the penalties.
In a Small market...someone books a car for say 10 days but keeps it 3...they get charged for 3 and the flat $15 early return fee to make up for what they thought was "guaranteed revenue" for 10 days. Small markets can't make up those dollars like large markets. It's like an offset. However the software can't tell large from small market so it's standard across the board. Kinda like changing your plane ticket. You change your ticket it costs money even thought the seat is the same and they have seats available. Doesn't make sense but they do it.
It's considered loss of guaranteed revenue, offset. When you get those way low rates from Alamo there are penalties for changing the perameters. Early return fees are one of the penalties.
That being said, while I sympathize with the OP, I fully support Alamo's right to do this. It appears that rental car agencies employ the same pricing techniques as airlines.
For instance, it is well known that it is sometimes cheaper to fly through a hub than to stop at a hub. Thus, people tried "hidden-city" ticketing; that is, booking a flight from ABQ-DFW-XXX and then stopping their journey at DFW. But airlines grew wise to this, and now hidden-city ticketing is strictly a no-no. But still people complain that it should cost less to fly ABQ-DFW since you aren't going as far. The reason why it costs more has nothing to do with distance; rather, it has to do with demand.
In the same way, car rental companies figure that there is one kind of demand for rentals of 4 days or less, and a different kind of demand for rentals of 5 days or longer. Thus, they charge a much higher rate for short-term rentals. Anyone can figure this out, and therefore decide to rent a car for 5 days but simply return it after 4, or 3. Even with a $15 early return penalty, it might still be cheaper to "reserve long and return short", if you will.
And like the hidden-city scheme, some car rental companies have caught onto this, and are charging people who return early the same rate as if they had simply rented how they were "supposed" to in the first place.
The problem is when folks like the OP have an honest-to-goodness change of plans, and pay the penalty. So
to inflexible agents, but ^ to the overall principle of allowing car rental companies to charge what the market will bear.
Apr 1, 2008, 7:33 pm
#21
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 747
This is an extremely abusive business practice.
A company that behaves this way deserves to be severely punished by consumers.
The best way to punish this company would be if thousands of people reserved cars with Alamo and failed to show up to pick up their vehicles. How about if this happened every week for about a year. I imagine the loss of revenue would be many millions of dollars. Of course this would be within the terms of the reservation agreement which provides for no penalty for no-shows on reservations. And this company seems to be big on relying on contract language to excuse dishonest behaviour.
If thousands of people did this (perhaps anybody who has been ripped off by this company in the past) then perhaps the company would decide it is in its best interest to treat customers like human beings.
A company that behaves this way deserves to be severely punished by consumers.
The best way to punish this company would be if thousands of people reserved cars with Alamo and failed to show up to pick up their vehicles. How about if this happened every week for about a year. I imagine the loss of revenue would be many millions of dollars. Of course this would be within the terms of the reservation agreement which provides for no penalty for no-shows on reservations. And this company seems to be big on relying on contract language to excuse dishonest behaviour.
If thousands of people did this (perhaps anybody who has been ripped off by this company in the past) then perhaps the company would decide it is in its best interest to treat customers like human beings.
Apr 2, 2008, 9:45 am
#22
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: United States
Programs: UA, AA, DL, Amtrak
Posts: 4,647
This is an extremely abusive business practice.
A company that behaves this way deserves to be severely punished by consumers.
The best way to punish this company would be if thousands of people reserved cars with Alamo and failed to show up to pick up their vehicles. How about if this happened every week for about a year. I imagine the loss of revenue would be many millions of dollars. Of course this would be within the terms of the reservation agreement which provides for no penalty for no-shows on reservations. And this company seems to be big on relying on contract language to excuse dishonest behaviour.
If thousands of people did this (perhaps anybody who has been ripped off by this company in the past) then perhaps the company would decide it is in its best interest to treat customers like human beings.
A company that behaves this way deserves to be severely punished by consumers.
The best way to punish this company would be if thousands of people reserved cars with Alamo and failed to show up to pick up their vehicles. How about if this happened every week for about a year. I imagine the loss of revenue would be many millions of dollars. Of course this would be within the terms of the reservation agreement which provides for no penalty for no-shows on reservations. And this company seems to be big on relying on contract language to excuse dishonest behaviour.
If thousands of people did this (perhaps anybody who has been ripped off by this company in the past) then perhaps the company would decide it is in its best interest to treat customers like human beings.
No, the logical outcome of this behavior is that the company would start requiring a credit card number to hold the reservation, just like most hotels do. Thus, if you did not show for a legitimate reason (late flight, etc), you would be charged anyway.
Fantastic idea.
Apr 2, 2008, 3:39 pm
#23
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 747
No, the logical outcome of this behavior is that the company would start requiring a credit card number to hold the reservation, just like most hotels do. Thus, if you did not show for a legitimate reason (late flight, etc), you would be charged anyway.
Fantastic idea.
Fantastic idea.
Fantastic insight.
Apr 2, 2008, 4:36 pm
#24
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: United States
Programs: UA, AA, DL, Amtrak
Posts: 4,647
Anyway, good luck organizing your mass protest of Alamo.
Apr 3, 2008, 2:01 pm
#26
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: manhattan beach, ca , usa
Programs: UA 1P; SPG Plat;
Posts: 981
Here's where we understand it came from...
In a Small market...someone books a car for say 10 days but keeps it 3...they get charged for 3 and the flat $15 early return fee to make up for what they thought was "guaranteed revenue" for 10 days. Small markets can't make up those dollars like large markets. It's like an offset. However the software can't tell large from small market so it's standard across the board. Kinda like changing your plane ticket. You change your ticket it costs money even thought the seat is the same and they have seats available. Doesn't make sense but they do it.
It's considered loss of guaranteed revenue, offset. When you get those way low rates from Alamo there are penalties for changing the perameters. Early return fees are one of the penalties.
In a Small market...someone books a car for say 10 days but keeps it 3...they get charged for 3 and the flat $15 early return fee to make up for what they thought was "guaranteed revenue" for 10 days. Small markets can't make up those dollars like large markets. It's like an offset. However the software can't tell large from small market so it's standard across the board. Kinda like changing your plane ticket. You change your ticket it costs money even thought the seat is the same and they have seats available. Doesn't make sense but they do it.
It's considered loss of guaranteed revenue, offset. When you get those way low rates from Alamo there are penalties for changing the perameters. Early return fees are one of the penalties.
Again, I am fine with paying the full 2 day rate of course, and can't imagine why National would care if I return it a little early. If I returned it at 1 a.m. on Sunday morning does that fulfill the policy?
Jun 2, 2009, 11:01 pm
#27
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 36
Apparently if you make a reservation on the alamo.com site right now and add 30 minutes to your reservation you can get very low rates. You don't have to use any codes either.
For example 3 day reservation for a prius is $314
but if you change your times to 3 days and 30 minutes it drops down to $61 !
Does any one know if this is legit?
my main concern is to get this rate I have to return my vehicle at 9am. If I put that on the reservation the rate is $314, but if I put 11:30 am on the reservation the rate is only $61. I am scared that if I turn it in at 9am instead of 11:30am they will try to charge me the regular rate.
any thoughts?
For example 3 day reservation for a prius is $314
but if you change your times to 3 days and 30 minutes it drops down to $61 !
Does any one know if this is legit?
my main concern is to get this rate I have to return my vehicle at 9am. If I put that on the reservation the rate is $314, but if I put 11:30 am on the reservation the rate is only $61. I am scared that if I turn it in at 9am instead of 11:30am they will try to charge me the regular rate.
any thoughts?
Jun 3, 2009, 5:31 am
#28
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Ontario
Programs: Westjet Rewards
Posts: 155
Apparently if you make a reservation on the alamo.com site right now and add 30 minutes to your reservation you can get very low rates. You don't have to use any codes either.
For example 3 day reservation for a prius is $314
but if you change your times to 3 days and 30 minutes it drops down to $61 !
Does any one know if this is legit?
my main concern is to get this rate I have to return my vehicle at 9am. If I put that on the reservation the rate is $314, but if I put 11:30 am on the reservation the rate is only $61. I am scared that if I turn it in at 9am instead of 11:30am they will try to charge me the regular rate.
any thoughts?
For example 3 day reservation for a prius is $314
but if you change your times to 3 days and 30 minutes it drops down to $61 !
Does any one know if this is legit?
my main concern is to get this rate I have to return my vehicle at 9am. If I put that on the reservation the rate is $314, but if I put 11:30 am on the reservation the rate is only $61. I am scared that if I turn it in at 9am instead of 11:30am they will try to charge me the regular rate.
any thoughts?
Jun 3, 2009, 9:03 pm
#29
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 36
I called alamo to ask about the return time
they said if I return it at 9am instead of 11:30 am it would remove the discount and my $15 a day rate would jump to $89 a day.
There is no way I can keep the car for more than 72 hours so I am going to have to cancel the reservation
they said if I return it at 9am instead of 11:30 am it would remove the discount and my $15 a day rate would jump to $89 a day.
There is no way I can keep the car for more than 72 hours so I am going to have to cancel the reservation
Jun 12, 2009, 11:41 am
#30
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Washington DC USA
Posts: 2,571
Actually, there's a very easy way around this problem. Book a prepaid (i.e. through the opaque bidding service) rental on Priceline or Hotwire. Although it is prepaid and you won't receive any refunds for unused days if you return early, it's probably a very low rate, and your maximum liability is limited to what you've already paid Priceline/Hotwire. There are no early return fees, retroactive rate changes, etc. possible because the reservation is already paid.
If you want to confirm this, check here for Hotwire. On Priceline, just go to Help -> Rental Cars -> Rental Car Policies -> Can I Return My Car Early, which presently states:
Although this sounds like a bunch of ominous language, if you read it carefully, all it says is no refund for unused time, not that anyone has the right to charge you anything additional.
If you want to confirm this, check here for Hotwire. On Priceline, just go to Help -> Rental Cars -> Rental Car Policies -> Can I Return My Car Early, which presently states:
You can always return your car earlier than your scheduled drop-off time but priceline cannot issue any refunds for unused time. Our rental car partners choose whether to accept your offer based on the exact combination of pick-up date, drop-off date, car type and location you select while on our website. As a result, your accepted price reflects savings that may not have been offered to you with any other combination. We know our no refunds policy is strict, but it's the agreement that keeps this great service available and the reason the major car rental companies allow you to save so much money with priceline.