The Consolidated Wild Card Thread
#151
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Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,194
Hi everyone, so I just saw the whole wild card thing thrifty is offering. I am traveling to MCO (Orlando) in Oct and saw it was the same price the compact.
Question, what if I was to book 1 reservation as a wild card and then do a separate as a compact? Figure if I get there and the wild card is a mini van or something absurd like a grand marquis I would just use the other compact reservation.
Thoughts?
Question, what if I was to book 1 reservation as a wild card and then do a separate as a compact? Figure if I get there and the wild card is a mini van or something absurd like a grand marquis I would just use the other compact reservation.
Thoughts?
If you want to avoid possible issues or a potential eye-roll, personally, here's what I would do:
1) Book your reservation for a bit of a buffer after you think you'll be showing up at the counter (i.e. if your flight lands at 7:40 and you think you'll be to the counter at 8:00, book it for 8:30 or maybe even 9:00).
2) Walk up to the rental counter and provide them your Wild Card confirmation number rather than your name. (This ensures he pulls up the right reservation.)
3) Ask what today's Wild Card car is. If you don't like it, find an excuse to leave the counter briefly.
4) Go cancel your Wild Card reservation. (This is why you booked for a later time; if you book it for 8:00 and it's now 8:10, their system won't allow you to cancel it.)
5) Return to the counter, preferably to a different agent. Proceed with renting your compact car as normal.
Probably overkill, but that's what I, as a fairly non-confrontational person who's happy to work the system to my advantage (within the rules), would do.
#152
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: In the process of moving from Dubai back to Tokyo because I didn't like it there. Working in Melaka, Malaysia now.
Programs: No longer loyal to any airline.
Posts: 519
Most likely he'd probably just roll his eyes at you and give you the compact car instead.
If you want to avoid possible issues or a potential eye-roll, personally, here's what I would do:
1) Book your reservation for a bit of a buffer after you think you'll be showing up at the counter (i.e. if your flight lands at 7:40 and you think you'll be to the counter at 8:00, book it for 8:30 or maybe even 9:00).
2) Walk up to the rental counter and provide them your Wild Card confirmation number rather than your name. (This ensures he pulls up the right reservation.)
3) Ask what today's Wild Card car is. If you don't like it, find an excuse to leave the counter briefly.
4) Go cancel your Wild Card reservation. (This is why you booked for a later time; if you book it for 8:00 and it's now 8:10, their system won't allow you to cancel it.)
5) Return to the counter, preferably to a different agent. Proceed with renting your compact car as normal.
Probably overkill, but that's what I, as a fairly non-confrontational person who's happy to work the system to my advantage (within the rules), would do.
If you want to avoid possible issues or a potential eye-roll, personally, here's what I would do:
1) Book your reservation for a bit of a buffer after you think you'll be showing up at the counter (i.e. if your flight lands at 7:40 and you think you'll be to the counter at 8:00, book it for 8:30 or maybe even 9:00).
2) Walk up to the rental counter and provide them your Wild Card confirmation number rather than your name. (This ensures he pulls up the right reservation.)
3) Ask what today's Wild Card car is. If you don't like it, find an excuse to leave the counter briefly.
4) Go cancel your Wild Card reservation. (This is why you booked for a later time; if you book it for 8:00 and it's now 8:10, their system won't allow you to cancel it.)
5) Return to the counter, preferably to a different agent. Proceed with renting your compact car as normal.
Probably overkill, but that's what I, as a fairly non-confrontational person who's happy to work the system to my advantage (within the rules), would do.