 Poster: A snowHead
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Went to Chamonix for 4 days last week, Booked the car through Holiday Autos (using the 'usual' discount). As the car I booked was unavailable I was swapped to a bigger car with Alamo (£40 extra but that was fine as a third person had joined the trip). Trip including car hire all went seamlessly, so long as you don't count check in hall hell at Geneva on Saturday morning. BUT here's the rub - we have now received an invoice in the post for using the courtesy bus from the car hire desks to the car hire car park!!!! The invoice is only 8CHF (direct off the drivers credit card given as a deposit) but all the same a massive cheek imho.
Lastminute.com (holiday autos) are flabbergasted and promise to sort it, so watch this space.
I'm back in Geneva tomorrow. This time the car is with Budget, but I won't be taking the bus, and that's another thing - as you can walk (as I intend to) and as no one takes names as you get on the bus, then how do Alamo even know we rode it last week?
All smacks of a money making 'scam'. Any thoughts?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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midgetbiker, I think you've really got to watch Holiday Autos. Last year when I hired my credit card showed a price £35 than that on the email confirmation and that was before I travelled. I emailed them to complain, instant refund but no explanation or apology
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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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| holidayloverxx wrote: |
| midgetbiker, I think you've really got to watch Holiday Autos. Last year when I hired my credit card showed a price £35 than that on the email confirmation and that was before I travelled. I emailed them to complain, instant refund but no explanation or apology |
Had a similar problem last season booked on the internet using 'the usual' discount, right up to the last confirmation screen it showed the 85% price but once my credit card details were in then it said it had charged me the 100% price. It took a lot of phone calls and PDF emails of screen prints to get them to refund the money (they kept offering to split the difference but I told them to b***ocks).
In fairness though this is Alamo, the invoice is from them and HA seem genuinely shocked & a bit angry as they have checked their agreement with Alamo and it says nothing about any potential charge.
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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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The car hire desks at Geneva have now been moved from the arrivals hall.
On entering the hall turn right and walk to the far end where an extension has been built fo the car hire desks.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Boredsurfing, How far then to the cars?
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| Boredsurfing wrote: |
The car hire desks at Geneva have now been moved from the arrivals hall.
On entering the hall turn right and walk to the far end where an extension has been built fo the car hire desks. |
It's the bus that takes you from the new desk location (round the corner) to the parking garage for all the hire car compnies that we're being charged for.
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| thefatcontroller wrote: |
| Boredsurfing, How far then to the cars? |
a few hndred yards (if that), though the bus goes a little further as it has to go round the airport one way to get to the road.
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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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thefatcontroller, It's a 5 min walk.
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midgetbiker, In Dec we hired via HA and it was an Alamo car. No charge was made. I must go and check my CC statement again though!
In all the years ive hired cars, ive never heared of a fee for a courtesy bus. It must be a mistake. I expect HA will sort it out.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| thefatcontroller wrote: |
| Boredsurfing, How far then to the cars? |
Dunno I got on the courtesy bus 
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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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You know it makes sense.
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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WE hired from GVA swiss side last October - used the courtesy bus - no charge
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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if they're going to charge, they can't call it a courtesy bus. Rude charge bus, more like. the walk sounds nothing like the hike it used to be to get to the easyrentacar place. Disconsolate families with four trolleys and three toddlers, trundling along forever.
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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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If the car (grade) you hired wasn't available sureley you shouldn't have been charged for the next available grade higher?
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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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| halfhand wrote: |
| If the car (grade) you hired wasn't available sureley you shouldn't have been charged for the next available grade higher? |
Good spot. It should have been an FOC.
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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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| halfhand wrote: |
| If the car (grade) you hired wasn't available sureley you shouldn't have been charged for the next available grade higher? |
This change was conveyed to us well in advance and the order at that point had not been confirmed it was only on request (as can sometimes happen for 48hrs). Basically it was "Budget has no cars, but we can move you to Alamo for another £40, do you want to do that or cancel the order", but a lot less blunt. I actually have no complaints on this score at all, it was all handled quickly and efficiently and it did say when I booked on the site that the car needed to be confirmed.
Actually as I say I have no complaints with HA at all (though that may change if they don't sort this) it's Alamo who are taking the p**s. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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midgetbiker, OK fair do's, thought it was changed when you went to pick it up.
Have used HA several times and never had a problem. Hope you get satisfaction.
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Returned cars several times with scratches on (no dents or obvious breakages), guys at car return have just recorded mileage and taken keys - job done. They can't charge you for damage unless they point it out at the time of return. Similarly if there is damage when you pick the car up and don't report it then you lay yourself open to extra charges.
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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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snowskisnow and others. I rather obsessionally take photos all round the car and of any scratches before I drive away, and then take a similar set on drop-off. I haven't had to use them yet, but with nonboday to check you at drop-off, how else are you going to prove that it was fine when you left it. Digital cameras - a real boon for things like this.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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I have damaged cars twice with Sixt, once returned to Venice, once Geneva. On both occasions I filled in damage reports and that was that - I never had to pay anything. I always book now direct with Sixt Holiday Cars - they are sometimes a few quid dearer but if anything goes wrong they are great to deal with. They have also never charged me for snowchains at Geneva - I just tell them I thought they were included and they always say
"Ok fine".
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snowskisnow, you're right.... I always wait for the geezer where possible and get the signed doc saying it's all been returned AOK. To leave it in the airport and drop off the keys is fraught with risk - those spaces are tight and if joe-soap turns up 5 mins later and dings you and then then your car gets inspected 10 mins later... you get the picture peeps right?
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You know it makes sense.
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| midgetbiker wrote: |
Went to Chamonix for 4 days last week, Booked the car through Holiday Autos (using the 'usual' discount). As the car I booked was unavailable I was swapped to a bigger car with Alamo (£40 extra but that was fine as a third person had joined the trip). Trip including car hire all went seamlessly, so long as you don't count check in hall hell at Geneva on Saturday morning. BUT here's the rub - we have now received an invoice in the post for using the courtesy bus from the car hire desks to the car hire car park!!!! The invoice is only 8CHF (direct off the drivers credit card given as a deposit) but all the same a massive cheek imho.
Lastminute.com (holiday autos) are flabbergasted and promise to sort it, so watch this space.
I'm back in Geneva tomorrow. This time the car is with Budget, but I won't be taking the bus, and that's another thing - as you can walk (as I intend to) and as no one takes names as you get on the bus, then how do Alamo even know we rode it last week?
All smacks of a money making 'scam'. Any thoughts? |
Update - just got an email from HA saying they are crediting our card with the money taken by Alamo (no explanation though).
Also when I picked up my Budget car at Geneva on Saturday just gone I asked the desk chap if I would be charged for the bus. He said “it should cost €8 each way but I don’t agree with it so I wont charge you”. I walked anyway as with only hand luggage it’s easier.
Go figure!
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FAQ
Cross the road at the traffic lights crossing, go down in the lift to level 1 and the car hire places are all down here. 
I am in no doubt,had I not been able to prove my innocence,I would have faced a whacking damage charge.....which 