Poster: A snowHead
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Bit of a niche question.... Has anyone who's hired a car in Geneva (Swiss side) attempted to add a 2nd driver in absentia?
A few of us need to hire a car and we need 2 drivers, I arrive an hour earlier than the others so it would be ideal if I can get the hire car sorted and be ready and waiting for the others to land and then shoot straight off however one of them also needs to be a driver as they need to drop the car back without me.. I'm thinking that a faxed copy of their license and passport should be OK but has anyone successfully done this?
Also it seems you no longer get a 2nd driver free if hiring through BA... Probably not an issue as BA/Avis were rarely the cheapest (by some margin...) option anyway.
Cheers
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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From experience they won't do it, my mate got there before me a couple of years back, got everything sorted, but I still had to go to desk with my licence in person, even though he had a scanned copy of my licence with him.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I don't think so as drivers may need to sign the contract in person. I reckon you are best calling the airport rental desk directly as they are quite helpful. Let us know.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Can't help thinking that the situation must have arisen where the driver gets injured/sick and somebody else needs to drive the car.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Ozboy wrote: |
I don't think so as drivers may need to sign the contract in person. I reckon you are best calling the airport rental desk directly as they are quite helpful. Let us know. |
I've never known a second person need to sign the contract. This last time I went to the car hire desk in Salzburg without MrHL to get in the queue - there wasn't one. I started the business and said that he was on his way with his license but they just said he's on the system so didn't even want to look at it!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Quote: |
he's on the system
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But if the 2nd driver is not on the system.... I did try to add someone in absentia, a few years ago, and they wouldn't do it.
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I think it will depend on the car hire company rather than the airport.
I haven't done it for a while but in the past I have been able to take the second drivers licence with me.
Having said that even if you do need the second driver I would start off by going to the desk and arranging the car hire and letting them know that the second driver will be along in a bit rather than waiting for the second driver to arrive.
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Doubt if they will do it. They always want to see original docs plus the driver in person.
I imagine another driver would be allowed in an emergency situation but would need to be exactly that as governed by the the rental car terms and conditions as to what defines an emergency and what can be done.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Been both main and second driver on hire cars a number of times and never been asked to sign anything. Overseas I HAVE always been asked for both my driver's licence and passport for both first and second driver roles though.
An hour isn't long though, so just join the hire car queue and tell them the situation when you get to the front. Best case they say it's fine for you to do all the paperwork/pay for the second driver and just have to pop back (hopefully jumping the queue) when the second driver shows up (and while your friends load all the kit in the car). Second-best case they say you all need to be there at the same time - and you just stand at the front of the queue letting people past until your friends arrive. Worst case - you'll still be in the queue for the hire desk when your friends arrive!
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pam w wrote: |
Quote: |
he's on the system
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But if the 2nd driver is not on the system.... I did try to add someone in absentia, a few years ago, and they wouldn't do it. |
yes agreed - I just thought it was very laid back of them!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Mjit wrote: |
Been both main and second driver on hire cars a number of times and never been asked to sign anything. Overseas I HAVE always been asked for both my driver's licence and passport for both first and second driver roles though.
An hour isn't long though, so just join the hire car queue and tell them the situation when you get to the front. Best case they say it's fine for you to do all the paperwork/pay for the second driver and just have to pop back (hopefully jumping the queue) when the second driver shows up (and while your friends load all the kit in the car). Second-best case they say you all need to be there at the same time - and you just stand at the front of the queue letting people past until your friends arrive. Worst case - you'll still be in the queue for the hire desk when your friends arrive! |
This is the exact thing we did - just jumped the queue and did the extra bit in 5 mins.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Thanks for the replies/experiences...
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Can't help thinking that the situation must have arisen where the driver gets injured/sick and somebody else needs to drive the car.
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This was my thought - there must be a way of adding another driver "remotely"....
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I imagine another driver would be allowed in an emergency situation but would need to be exactly that as governed by the the rental car terms and conditions as to what defines an emergency and what can be done.
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If that's the case there may well be an emergency situation, as defined by their t's & c's, a few days later...
Will obviously go with what I can - i.e. turn up with copies of docs etc and see what they'll do - but was hoping someone might have an insight into which companies at GVA might be more amenable than others before I book - not going for a couple of months but will report back..
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Not GVA but I have managed to add a second driver in absentia at AGP.
I booked through a screen scraper and picked a provider with 'free additional driver' then once I had the voucher and knew the provider I called them and pre-arranged the whole thing with emailed scans of docs and then took the licence at collection time (couldn't take the passport as that was with the driver elsewhere in Spain).
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You know it makes sense.
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BTW if you go with one of the big agencies like Holiday Autos then if the particular company at GVA won't play ball then HA will lean on them and if that fails switch your booking to another provider.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Bloody hell, just noticed in the OP that the second driver gets in a wee bit later, I thought they weren't there that day. TBH I think your dancing on the head of a pin here to save a few minutes.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Bloody hell, just noticed in the OP that the second driver gets in a wee bit later, I thought they weren't there that day. TBH I think your dancing on the head of a pin here to save a few minutes.
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@midgetbiker, Every minute saved is a minute extra on the slopes - is that not a central tenet of Snowheads? Have I missed something? (That and the fact there are a disproportionately large number of people here who seem share the same neuroses regarding efficient travel - be it tunnel/driving or flying...)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Valid
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