Advice for Upcoming Flight for Eclipse

Old Aug 17, 2017, 5:30 pm
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Originally Posted by Eujeanie
I live in Eugene and it's all over our news today that many, many passengers are stranded (and sleeping from what I can see) in PDX because they are completely OUT of rental cars...today, Thursday, 4 days ahead of the Eclipse. So if renting a car out of PDX is in your plans I'd go to Plan B.
So, where does that leave one? Legally/contractually?
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Old Aug 17, 2017, 5:49 pm
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Originally Posted by jms_uk
So, where does that leave one? Legally/contractually?
That is very interesting...imagine paying an exorbitant amount for a place to stay on the Coast, etc. and having no way to get there.

Another anecdote from the front lines...I was in the supermarket today and overhead two produce clerks...one has a brother in Bend who is an EMT, and he was saying that EVERYONE - police, fire, emt's, hospitals, all shifts, will be at the ready on Monday.

Don't hate me, but I'm going to walk outside my house on Monday with my IOS goggles...even though we're "only" in the 98% area, I'm happy. (that's a picture of me in my goggles)...
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Old Aug 17, 2017, 6:09 pm
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Report from a coworker who landed at PDX yesterday: "airport is a total mess. Lots of tour groups standing around looking goofy."

Originally Posted by Eujeanie
Don't hate me, but I'm going to walk outside my house on Monday with my IOS goggles...even though we're "only" in the 98% area, I'm happy. (that's a picture of me in my goggles)...
Meh. 98% isn't good enough this time.

Originally Posted by jms_uk
Thanks - my flight is not until 9pm, so I hope I'll get to have a bit of time in the city.
If I were you, I'd get back to the airport ASAP on Monday and ditch the car there. Take MAX to downtown, enjoy a lot of beer, and head back to the airport about 7p. Give yourself extra time at the airport too. It'll be a zoo.
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Old Aug 17, 2017, 6:18 pm
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Originally Posted by tusphotog
If I were you, I'd get back to the airport ASAP on Monday and ditch the car there. Take MAX to downtown, enjoy a lot of beer, and head back to the airport about 7p. Give yourself extra time at the airport too. It'll be a zoo.
I am/was considering this too, just not sure about penalties for an early return.
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Old Aug 17, 2017, 6:36 pm
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My double connect in SEA and PDX might be on Sunday...
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Old Aug 18, 2017, 4:09 am
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Originally Posted by Eujeanie
I live in Eugene and it's all over our news today that many, many passengers are stranded (and sleeping from what I can see) in PDX because they are completely OUT of rental cars...today, Thursday, 4 days ahead of the Eclipse. So if renting a car out of PDX is in your plans I'd go to Plan B.
I wonder if these people had reservations?

The best I (and many) people can do is have a pre-paid reservation. I just hope the rental companies are honouring them.
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Old Aug 18, 2017, 6:05 am
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Originally Posted by musehead
I wonder if these people had reservations?

The best I (and many) people can do is have a pre-paid reservation. I just hope the rental companies are honouring them.
When are you arriving there?
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Old Aug 18, 2017, 7:47 am
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Originally Posted by musehead
I wonder if these people had reservations?

The best I (and many) people can do is have a pre-paid reservation. I just hope the rental companies are honouring them.
If you google "News PDX rental car shortage for eclipse" there are many, many articles. The worst one I just read was Hertz robocalling hundreds of people starting a week ago to tell them their reservations were cancelled due to severe overbooking.
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Old Aug 18, 2017, 7:52 am
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Originally Posted by Eujeanie
The worst one I just read was Hertz robocalling hundreds of people starting a week ago to tell them their reservations were cancelled due to severe overbooking.
And, IIRC, only the ones who booked a long time ago [cheap] in favour of the recent bookings [extortionate costs].
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Old Aug 18, 2017, 8:17 am
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Originally Posted by jms_uk
When are you arriving there?
I'm actually arriving to EUG, on Saturday afternoon. Managed to reserve a car with Avis.
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Old Aug 18, 2017, 8:30 am
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Originally Posted by musehead
I'm actually arriving to EUG, on Saturday afternoon. Managed to reserve a car with Avis.
Where are you then driving from Eugene?

Other news tidbits (and of course everyone is an alarmist) are that they have run out of gas in the Prineville area (near Bend) from the influx of cars.

I'm 66 and have lived close to a couple of eclipses, but I don't recall the frenzy that this one is generating.
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Old Aug 18, 2017, 8:44 am
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I still see cars available for rental in both PDX and EUG (I checked Saturday to Tuesday), so I honestly have no idea what's going on.

Good luck to all of you.
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Old Aug 18, 2017, 8:44 am
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Originally Posted by Eujeanie
Where are you then driving from Eugene?
I'll then be driving to Bend that afternoon. Hopefully traffic will be OK - i'll keep a close eye on Tripcheck and Google.

Originally Posted by Eujeanie
I still see cars available for rental in both PDX and EUG (I checked Saturday to Tuesday), so I honestly have no idea what's going on.
Possibly due to people cancelling their plan A/B/C as the free cancellation window approaches? I managed to reserve a car at EUG so have now cancelled my previous reservation at RDM.
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Old Aug 18, 2017, 8:46 am
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Originally Posted by musehead
I'll then be driving to Bend that afternoon. Hopefully traffic will be OK - i'll keep a close eye on Tripcheck and Google.
Another wrinkle is that we have a lot of wildfires burning east of here which they say might impact visibility, so see if you can check on those conditions as well.
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Old Aug 18, 2017, 8:53 am
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Originally Posted by Eujeanie
I'm 66 and have lived close to a couple of eclipses, but I don't recall the frenzy that this one is generating.
Probably a mix of the two: this is the first total one in the US in a while, and how easy is to spread information these days [via internet], so people across the country/world are aware of it.
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