FLL: Hertz NO RENTAL CARS 11-10-12

[meadowlander]

FYI: Had a reservation with Hertz at the Ft Lauderdale Airport yesterday upon arrival. I was informed at the Hertz counter that because of Hurricane Sandy, there were NO cars available. The rep claimed that cars were rented from FLL and not returned and were driven to the NJ/NY area.

 

I am from NJ, no one that I know of was driving around Jersey with a rental car from Florida.

 

The rep said that there was at least a 2 hour wait for cars (assuming they could be found) and that those with Hotwire rental reservations should contact Hotwire and demand a car based on their guarantee.

 

He also informed us to go to Thrifty to rent cars (as Thrify is a subisidary of Hertz...acording to him). Yet when asked if Thrity had cars he could not answer affirmastively. It seemed he was doing anything possible to get customers away from the chaos and make them someone else's problem.

 

Originally he told me my reservation was there as my car is specially equipped due to a handicap. Then he could not say for sure if it was available. After a few more minutes he cofirmed that my car which was ready, when he first spoke to me, was being readied for me and it would only be 15 minutes. I waited but the rep was handling other questions and never processed my reservation. After the 15 minutes, I inquired of another rep who informed me that I was not on the reservation screen.

 

I asked to speak to the manager on duty (whose name was listed) but was told she was not working. Directed to the acting manager, I gave up as she was running from phone to computer screen serving another patron. I had a reservation but not a prepaid reservation, as others had, so I decided not to get aggravated and took a cab to my hotel...which left me without a car this weekend.

 

Other than multiple "I am sorry", it semed like Hertz had no regard for their patrons. I know in my case, I was given misleading information as opposed to the truth and left before aggravation set in.

 

Heads up, everyone

[CruiserBruce]

Do you know everybody in New Jersey? Not sure how you could possibly challenge this as you aren't in New Jersey right now.

 

Having been involved in the management of many large emergency incidents- though none the size of Sandy, I can absolutely understand how rental car agencies can deplete their car supplies. I personally have been indirectly responsible for depleting rental car supplies. The car companies rent available cars for a period of time, then the renters start asking for extensions, and/or don't return them where expected. Suddenly the car companies don't have the necessary inventory.

 

Unfortunate, inconvenient and frustrating, I know, but it doesn't imply Henry doesn't care about their customers.

[lvz2cruz]

Reminds me of the Seinfeld episode...So you know how to take a reservation, you just don't know how to keep a reservation...

[cruizn2escape]

Last December I had a reservation with Hertz in FLL - after waiting in line for over an hour, I was told they didn't have the type of car I had reserved and prepaid.

When I asked what they were planning to do, they stammered around until I asked to speak to a manager and then all of a sudden they said they would give me the next category of car without additonal charge.

While this is not the same as what the OP talked about it, it is an example of what I consider poor quality of help and overbooking that I am sure many rental agencies do.