Best and worst car hire firms for queues at rental desk revealed
The research shows the importance of choosing a firm which is known for customer service and not necessarily the cheapest on offer
MORE than a quarter of customers booking with car hire firm budget were left waiting at the rental desk for more than half an hour before picking up their car, according to new research.
In comparisons, 90 per cent of small car hire firm Alamo were behind the wheel and en route to their accommodation within 30 minute of arriving, according to .
The research - which is based on more than 2,000 car hire experiences last year - shows the importance of choosing a firm which is known for customer service and not necessarily the cheapest on offer.
Around 63 per cent of customers renting with Goldcar (which is owned by Europcar) had to wait longer than 15 minutes to pick up their car, with 9 per cent waiting longer than an hour.
Hertz's low-cost brand Firefly made 28 per cent of customers wait longer than an hour.
Customers said that the reasons for the long queues were "persistent up-selling of extras, such as insurance, regardless of how many people were waiting", as well as lack of staff at busy times, according to Which?.
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Last week, car hire firm Green Motion was banned from comparison website Holiday Autos due to a spike in customer complaints.
In March, this newspaper revealed how Hertz is charging holidaymakers £375 for 12 minute drive at one airport.
A spokesperson from Budget said: "We are investing in technology which will allow us to serve our customers faster and more efficiently.
"One such initiative is our tablet technology which is currently rolling out across Europe.
"It allows us to have more rental agents queue-floating and supporting more customers during peak periods.
"This reduces wait times and allows customers to be on their way faster."
Car hire rip-offs and how to avoid them
GOING on holiday soon? Follow these tips to make sure you don't get caught by a car hire trick:
- Car hire excess insurance: Buy a standalone policy rather than one at the rental desk, and save around £15-20 a day
- To avoid any unexpected extra charges, document any scratches or dents in the vehicle with pictures and make sure the staff take a note of everything - otherwise you could face a higher-than-expected bill once you're back home
- Bring your own child car seats, or face having to pay £50 for the rental firm's ones. Some airlines, such as Monarch allow parents to bring car seats free of charge
- Keep an eye on your credit card statement to check that the firm hasn't added on any excess charges
- If you have a complaint about a car rental firm, you need to tell them directly first. If they don't address the problem within 14 days, it may be possible to use a free service provided by The European Car Conciliation Service (ECRCS) which helps resolve complaints about charges from vehicle rentals in Europe.
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