Ba and Avis - What's the point?
Jan 29, 2016, 9:38 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 89
Ba and Avis - What's the point?
I've experienced this before when booking Avis car hire with a BA flight. Big long queues at the Avis car rental desk as half the flight is hiring cars, whilst other company's rental desks are empty. Had started to deliberately avoid Avis when flying Ba, but today the car was effectively 'free' so gave it another go.
What a disaster! With kids in toe by the time we got to the Avis rental desk it was at least 10deep. No 'preferred' separate desk and 1person serving. Hertz however was empty. €66 (3day hire) and 5mins later I had the keys to a Hertz car. In that time the same Avis customer was being served.
Any ideas why can't they have the keys and paperwork ready to hand over in 2secs given they already have your license and cc details for preferred customers? A quick id passport check should suffice.
More importantly any consequence from Ba by not collecting 'their car'? Or is it worth a complaint? I wish I'd taken a picture of the queue now!
Rant over......
What a disaster! With kids in toe by the time we got to the Avis rental desk it was at least 10deep. No 'preferred' separate desk and 1person serving. Hertz however was empty. €66 (3day hire) and 5mins later I had the keys to a Hertz car. In that time the same Avis customer was being served.
Any ideas why can't they have the keys and paperwork ready to hand over in 2secs given they already have your license and cc details for preferred customers? A quick id passport check should suffice.
More importantly any consequence from Ba by not collecting 'their car'? Or is it worth a complaint? I wish I'd taken a picture of the queue now!
Rant over......
Jan 29, 2016, 9:51 am
#2
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Singapore - the hot, little red dot
Programs: BA, SQ
Posts: 861
Was it NCE?
That's always a bit of a disaster with families dragging kids as they run from the shuttle bus to the rental centre!
That said doesn't Avis preferred have the three minute promise?
That's always a bit of a disaster with families dragging kids as they run from the shuttle bus to the rental centre!
That said doesn't Avis preferred have the three minute promise?
Jan 29, 2016, 9:54 am
#3
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Brexile in ADB
Programs: BA, TK, HHonours, Le Club, Best Western Rewards
Posts: 7,067
It depends on the location. NCL was sorted in under 3 minutes, Manchester left me wondering if this was the first time the person had used a computer.
That being said during their sales you do get some really good deals.
That being said during their sales you do get some really good deals.
Jan 29, 2016, 10:23 am
#5
Join Date: Aug 2015
Programs: BA Gold, BCFC Season ticket
Posts: 70
Ah - so a good Friday afternoon question. Does anyone know what on earth they are doing behind that computer and why it takes so long ?
They already have all my details because I filled them when I booked on-line, they presumably know all about the car because they own it....what else is there and WHY DOES IT TAKE SO BLOODY LONG ??
They already have all my details because I filled them when I booked on-line, they presumably know all about the car because they own it....what else is there and WHY DOES IT TAKE SO BLOODY LONG ??
Jan 29, 2016, 10:47 am
#8
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: BAEC Gold. Marriott Gold.
Posts: 70
No idea what goes on behind there. I've had people in front of me been denied a car after 30 minutes because their driving licence or credit card address do not seem to match and they do not have a spare utility bill on their person.
Having said that - I thought being Gold gave you better benefits at HLR but somehow I got nothing. the preferred desk was not expecting me, though they were helpful.
Since I moved to the US, the National Emerald Aisle scheme is truly Christmas for car renting grown ups. Walk straight out, pick any car in your group and drive to the exit so spend 2 minutes sorting the paperwork. Plus free rental days every 10 rentals. I love it. Wish the UK could adopt a similar thing
Having said that - I thought being Gold gave you better benefits at HLR but somehow I got nothing. the preferred desk was not expecting me, though they were helpful.
Since I moved to the US, the National Emerald Aisle scheme is truly Christmas for car renting grown ups. Walk straight out, pick any car in your group and drive to the exit so spend 2 minutes sorting the paperwork. Plus free rental days every 10 rentals. I love it. Wish the UK could adopt a similar thing
Jan 29, 2016, 11:05 am
#10
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Dublin
Programs: BA Bronze! Avis PC
Posts: 312
From my experience staff at Avis desk @ BHD are very helpful and efficient. Staff in Dublin however are obsessed with the fact that I decline to take their additional waiver insurance? Hence it's always necessary to take pre-authorisation €1,500 on my registered credit card and reprint their prepared documents!. I'm Avis President's club and I always have to reconfirm my contact telephone number which frustrates me intensely.
Jan 29, 2016, 11:59 am
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 89
Thanks for your comments.
This was Malta.
I'm Avis Preferred, but there is no Preferred desk. Just one chap serving a big queue slowly.
Seriously why can't they put the keys in a plastic wallet with an already populated rental agreement (filled in by the customer online beforehand). Quick check of license and away you go....
Oh and i did the maths. It was going to be more than 30mins, I reckon at least an hour. There were five of us so I reckon our time per person was worth more than £10 per hour.
Still frustrating though!
This was Malta.
I'm Avis Preferred, but there is no Preferred desk. Just one chap serving a big queue slowly.
Seriously why can't they put the keys in a plastic wallet with an already populated rental agreement (filled in by the customer online beforehand). Quick check of license and away you go....
Oh and i did the maths. It was going to be more than 30mins, I reckon at least an hour. There were five of us so I reckon our time per person was worth more than £10 per hour.
Still frustrating though!
Jan 29, 2016, 12:12 pm
#12
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: USA
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 812
Don't Avis have a similar function to Hertz gold plus or preferred or whatever its called?
I get off the plane, Head down to Hertz, my name is on the screen with the car location which is also emailed to me. I get in the car and drive out. The first Hertz person I see is the person at the gate driving out.
I get off the plane, Head down to Hertz, my name is on the screen with the car location which is also emailed to me. I get in the car and drive out. The first Hertz person I see is the person at the gate driving out.
Jan 29, 2016, 1:09 pm
#14
Join Date: Jan 2000
Programs: Latinpass Million Miler. BA Gold.
Posts: 3,544
They do have some cracking rates - especially as quite often the flight plus car option is cheaper than the flight only option.
I've had mixed experiences, but mostly good. On some locations where there is only one person they still have a "preferred" sign - I normally hover and ask about preferred - normally they then give the docs and key to me very quickly.
I've had mixed experiences, but mostly good. On some locations where there is only one person they still have a "preferred" sign - I normally hover and ask about preferred - normally they then give the docs and key to me very quickly.
Jan 29, 2016, 1:18 pm
#15
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Brexile in ADB
Programs: BA, TK, HHonours, Le Club, Best Western Rewards
Posts: 7,067
If the points are important you can book with various other car hire companies and credit a program which you can convert to Avios (like Sixt credits Hilton hhonours)