I have spoken on this subject in the past, but in different context. Its about time for a refresher so here goes...

Preferred cars get pulled 1-2 hours prior to your landing time, by policy. If there is enough cars, a location can often pull contracts for cars 3-4-5 hours in advance. Some of the bigger locations are unable to pull that far ahead, and if the cars are not there (bieng cleaned), then they cannot pull the contract.

There are two ways contracts are pulled. Via "FAN" or manually.

The FAN is an automated system that uses your flight time as the contract pulling method. The FAN links up to real time flight data and when a flight status goes from "in air" to "arrived", the computer auto triggers a "print contracts" response for every person on that flight. this auto pull is EXACTLY triggered according to status, and reservation, without regard to requests on the profile. Example.

Customer A, Pref Select, reserved for a compact (b): Computer gets the trigger response and spits out a mid size. If all the mid sizes are gone, it spits out a full size. Depending on airport standards, the FAN can keep going up until: A> it finds a car. B> The upper hold setting is reached, meaning for example "if the requested car group isnt available, do not assign car."


Now the FAN is a powerful tool. It is only limited by the number of criteria programmed in it.

Typically, it is only used for assigning "exactly what the customer requested by class, plus whatever status they are entitled to." The FAN will spit out a contract regardless, even if the car field in the contract is blank.

At that point, it is up to the agent, while stuffing the contracts in mirror hanger/holders, to inspect each card to ensure a car is on the contract. If you have ever been given a contract without a car on it and it was "handwritten" on the contract "stall b6" or some other derivative, thats the reason why.

So in these bigger airports, the FAN is king. the preferred agent sits there, and every 30 min or so prints out a list of all the preferreds for all day. Each preferred that has been "pulled" and has a car assigned will show an "*" next to the name and the stall number of the car. This is done in case the computer goes down, they will have a list of people they need to manually prep and when they are expected to come in. Also, this is for the agents to look for those people whodo not have a flight number in their reservation. This is their only shot to catch the outlyers before they show up, or someone on a bus calls them in (LAX).


I have long been an advocate of "creative" booking to ensure your car is ready, or to give yourself a good "arguing point" for a fantastic upgrade.

Lets look at the information and if you think creative enough, you will see where I am going with this.

1> PA pulls 1-2 hours prior to arrival.
2> Fan pulls based upon actual arrival time of your flight.
3> PA leaves your contract pulled and doesnt touch it for 2 hours after your "anticipated" arrival time. Anticipated arrival time is 45 min past your actual flight arrival time. Ergo, your contract should be pulled and waiting in your car for 2 hours and 45 min after your actual arrival time.


If I was someone who ALWAYS arrived at LAX at, lets say 830am (flight arrival of 8am), on WED morning for regular meetings and my car was consistently not ready, I would look for a flight that arrives at 730 or 715 at the same terminal (look at flight schedules) and use that as my "WED LAX arrival time" with regularity.

so when my car wasnt ready a FULL hour and 15 min after my arrival, I would have a much stronger "argument" point, or my car would be sitting there waiting.

REASONING: So many people fly into LAX for the ubiquitous 9am meeting that often more cars go out from 730-830 than they have stalls on the lot. Some of the preferred "arrivals" for the 8am hour number in the 200-300 reservations. when it comes to big location car assignment, its almost always first come first served. Once its pulled, they need to leave it for 2 hours past before they cancel and "reuse" your car. so my reasoning is: Make myself appear to arrive earlier, so my car is pulled earlier.

Second method: Do not put a flight number at all.

By not putting a flight number, you are at the mercy of the rental agent catching your reservation, nothing is automatic about it. But subsequently, the agent will SEE your comments on your profile. If the FAN spits it out, your "no taurus" request will fall on blind computer eyes.

Third method: Call the location, ask to speak to the "preferred desk" before you take off. Mention who you are, and that you wanted to confirm your reservation for a "mid size" car. At that time, ask if they can "assign your car immediately so that you will know what car you are getting." that will work 25% of the time. The preferred agent is the one who yanks the "aged" contracts out of the car, so if they pull it early, they will just leave it there, or if they need your car immediately for an irate customer, they will take it off and immediately replace it.

Reasoning: to take a car off a preferred contract without putting another car in its place involves voiding the contract, and leaving a credit card authorization trail, often triggering auto defense issues from the card bank. For example, if a card is authorized, then voided, then authorized, then voided, often the third attempt to authorize and assign a car is declined "call bank". Agents avoid this like the plague, because it GUARANTEES a customer complaint when the customer arrives, finds out their card was declined, calls the bank, sees that they have sufficient credit limit, speaks to an agent, and they find out that the card has two pending rental authorizations that clear 24 hours later.


Yet another method: calling the preferred agent, even if denied the "immediate assignment" request, often puts your contract in their mind right away. So if your "sweet as sugar" in talking to them, often they dont assign your car right away, but follow up and make sure you get what you want. Getting yourself in their thoughts is powerful.

Another way to get you in the agent thoughts...Many of these positions are union, so people work the exact same shifts all the time. They know who's naughty and nice. Each of these agents have their "favorites." Every location has the guy from Hawaii who always brings chocolate macadamia nuts, or the pharmaceutical rep who drops off a ton of pens, clip boards, watches and other promotional items at no cost to himself, or the genuine nice guy who brings donuts from time to time. I guarantee that the agent knows these guys and picks them a low mileage car, close to the bus drop off, and Often enough, the car is pulled up 3-4-5 hours before arrival time and sits there until that person arrives, and theres a nice newspaper, maybe even a local paper, sitting on the seat.

Now many in this forum, for good reason, have said "I refuse to pay for service in any fashion that I am supposed to get in the first place." And they are right. however, if a 6 dollar box of donuts or bagels from a specialty shop will guarantee me the car I want, when I want it, I think its a small price to pay.

Cash is more tricky. You can do it, but even MORE people will complain, and the truth is Avis Employees are not allowed to accept tips. they all do, but it is against the rules and someone can get fired for it. Best to stick with food, or inexpensive gifts. The first person to give an agent a rolex will ruin it for all the travelers, no matter how cheap it was.




Any comments/questions, ask them and I will elaborate.