hourglass

My company just updated their travel policy and in the future will only allows economy bookings, unless travelling in groups and then you can book a midsize...

Now not sure how long it would take to actually take effect but just to prepare for the future - is it possible to bill company for the economy rate and upgrade to a midsize reservation so that I can use the aisle?
I understand the premier upgrade charge can be separately billed but not sure about going from non aisle to aisle. And if it's possible, can I do it at the gate(aka just grab the vehicle as an aisle reservation) or should I visit the counter every time?

The price difference is minimal, usually just one dollar a day

dwbf11

Sounds like a question for your travel department. We have no idea what your company's rules are.

And no, there's no way to break out the delta between two classes of vehicle to be charged separately, as you are proposing.

aww3583

I'd book what your company requires, then stop at the counter before going to the garage/aisle and ask.

My company requires mid-size reservations. On numerous occasions, I've stopped at the desk and asked to upgrade to something more comfortable, especially when selection is limited. In every instance, the desk was able to do two separate transactions... one for the original reservation and one for the upgrade.

JasYHZ

Absolutely, positively 100% to make things easier for the agent on returns in terms of the math - I usually process the rental and auth the credit card for the original amount (and car class booked. Then page back up into the upgrade screen, make the changes and proceed to the end of the rental again and the additional auth on the card (with all the taxes and fees nicely calculated) and THERE is your out of pocket amount. As Odyssey won't allow two separate cards on one rental you'll have to wait until return when you can charge the additional upgrade amount to any method of payment you like. BUT the best thing it will show as separate line items so the company can see exactly what amount they're paying for.

hourglass

If I am following through, here's what I should do
1. Book economy through concur
2. Change it on National's website to a Midsize and note down the price difference
3. At return go to counter to ask to put the additional charge noted in 2. to a separate personal card

I don' remember being hit with pre auth at time of booking, it usually happens when the gate agent takes my card and the vehicle leaves the lot.
I only tried to put the entire charge on another card before, and on the invoice it shows
Total Charges USD 462.66
Payments
American Express
auth 500.13 -< This is the amount shown on the email confirmation Payment -491.58
American express
credit: Refund 491.58
Mastercard
Payment -462.66

The Auth is different from actual charge because I returned one day early, and there was 28 dollars fuel charge that was taken off at the counter after showing the agent picture of the fuel gauge

JasYHZ

That's one way of doing it - my location in YHZ doesn't have an Emerald Aisle so any upgrades etc. are handled at the counter. But as long as you have your numbers straight we can refund it and charge another method of payment. So what you're saying is right;
~ book ECAR for $100 (keep copy of reservation to support price for expenses)
~ rebook ICAR for $120 (keep copy of reservation to support price for expenses)
~ rental is opened up and you return and are charged $120
~ upon return TELL THE RETURN AGENT YOU WANT TO CHANGE THE METHOD OF PAYMENT (important**) and they'll send you to the counter
~ go to counter and ask "may I leave $100 on my corporate AMEX and charge $20 to my personal Mastercard"
~ the agent will process as such and you'll be given a receipt for $120 but showing $100 on the AX and $20 on the MC

**Here's why the change of method of payment is important - this will tell us to put the rental in "incomplete return" status. It makes things SO MUCH EASIER for us because when we get to the credit card screen and the cursor populates to the credit card amount it will allow us to clear the field and enter in $100 and commit it. Then Odyssey knows to look for the $20 somewhere else and we can then process it on another card.

This all may sound like gibberish but to a competent and properly trained agent it's literally 10 seconds at the counter if the incomplete return was done properly.

With our new computer system coming online in the fall hopefully this entire process of different methods of payment on one rental will be addressed

JasYHZ

Auto Enthusiast

JasYHZ does National, or competitors for that matter, even have that many economy cars? Even before the pandemic they seemed to be more rare than even big SUVs. Is this the start of a corporate travel trend, to try to recoup some of the higher base rates and escalating gas prices? Especially considering that most travelers are probably individuals with one small luggage anyway, which should be enough for the smallest cars?

oftech

I was thinking the same thing. I had a similar corporate policy change last year whereby we're forced to book economy if traveling solo or with 1 other person. However, I've yet to be practically affected by it because whether booking through Concur or National site/app economy shows as a ridiculous amount, typically $200-$300 more expensive than the next cheapest option. Compact, mid-size, and oftentimes standard end up being exactly the same amount so I'm able to book it and use the aisle or get something decent from a non-aisle location as EE. Given they were in short supply even before COVID and inventory shortages, I figure a) they know those traveling on corporate rates typically can't expense paid upgrades, and b) most of that subcompact class has been officially killed off and they can't replace them in the fleet. So it's easier to just "force" us to book something they have a better shot of having available to rent.

This is pure speculation, of course, because I'm terrified to ask anyone about it. I don't want to be THAT person who reminds the teacher they forgot to collect the homework and ruin it for all of us

JasYHZ

We're just staring to get the bulk of our summer deliveries (in Halifax anyway so the rest of Canada is on the same timeline). Lots of redesigned Expedition Limited, Explorer, Traverse and other big stuff. But the bulk of our deliveries are CFAR (Kona, Venue, RVR) and IFAR. HOWEVER, there is a virtual Skittles bowl (I think 14 at least in orange, purple, red, yellow, electric blue) of 2022 Mitsubishi Mirage 5 door hatchbacks down at our service center just waiting to have the plates screwed on on Monday. So the ECAR's are there. I have our fleet order spreadsheet for our group and there's also Rio5 and Spark on there too.

Right now our fleet is really lopsided; the problem with all these CFAR's (fairly well equipped with sunroofs, some leather and the power goodies) is that they hit our Emerald scorecard bad. Even if an Emerald member wants/takes one willingly we're penalized from a corporate standpoint. As the months go by we'll get more new deliveries which will balance things out a bit. 90% of our FCAR will be Camry (LE & SE) and 10% Sonata (loaded Sport models).

JasYHZ

Auto Enthusiast

Thanks, JasYHZ. I presume this distribution is similar in the US, too.

If most orders and cars already on the ground are still SUVs, and if gas prices remain high to the point customer behavior starts to change, it sounds like it could become a problem. Ex free upgrades offered to SUVs. Or only SUVs on the aisle.

But why would CFAR SUVs ding the Emerald satisfaction dashboard? You ordered them, and some customers want them. It's not like you'll put them in the Compact Reserve section with nothing else to choose from there.

JasYHZ

Any Emerald booked ICAR or higher and is assigned a CFAR we get dinged for a downgraded vehicle. The first letter denotes the knuckle rap (Intermediate or Full and assigned a Compact). Even though the CFAR's are often priced higher and customers will ask for them (would you like this dumpster fire Malibu with 32,000 kilometers on it or a brand new 2022 Kia Seltos with leather and a sunroof?) of course they'll want the better option.

We'll always do what's best for customer service within reason but this overloading of CFAR's is a pain in the a$$.....

KevinMD

When I was boarding the shuttle in DEN it was next to a reserve aisle of cars that were small. Did see a Spark amongst the group, so they are definitely out there.