I appreciate someone admitting that the way they handle things makes no logical sense. You would have thought by the way the others were reacting that they were the ones who worked int he industry and not you.

As to your advice, I already changed my reservation to a crappier car so that I didn't have my weekly rate doubled, so I can't try the local angle. Part of my strategy of staying on the phone with them was to get to someone high enough up that they could follow a logical argument, but I hit a wall with "my supervisor doesn't take phone calls," after two levels of conversations with supervisors. Hopefully, I won't have to change a reservation in the future, but if I do, I'll definitely try some of your suggestions.