Hertz DFW Airport Experience

Let me set the stage:

I am in the beginning stages of replacing my 2016 Audi S4. I have previously owned other performance 4 door sedans and was re-considering the current model Mercedes C63s

I am a frequent business traveler and use Hertz when I can and am a Gold Member.
I rarely have any problems when renting a car and consider myself extremely easy going.

99% of the time I set my reservations using the Hertz website and most often pre-pay my rentals for the " best pricing "

Knowing that the Airport locations have a better selection of cars I went online yesterday and looked to see what they had available. Much to my surprise and delight , they have current model C63s for rent at what I considered to be a reasonable daily rate! I made my reservation using my gold membership status online and had a confirmation in hand.

I had a client heading to DFW Airport about the time I was planning on heading there, I also had an evening dinner meeting near DFW Airport , so timing wise everything worked out. I drove the client out to the airport, dropping them off at their gate, and headed to the remote rental car center. FWIW, I am wearing a business suit and consider myself to be clean cut.

For those that are not aware, the remote rental car center is outside the South end of the airport, still on airport grounds, but outside of the terminals. The facility houses all of the various rental car agencies all in one location.

When I arrived, I was dropped off by our driver, and I told him he could go back to the Dealership. I walked inside and through to the Gold Membership board where you normally find your name and the stall for your car. Quick glance, yep there's my name, but where it should have shown the stall number, it instead says " counter ". Inside I go, to find one agent and half a dozen other gold members waiting in line. While in line, for 20 minutes, I am picking up on the agents demeanor ( He did not give a $*#% about any of our situations and had no problem letting each client know ) So, I prepared myself with a smile, my cc, DL, and reservation number ready when it was my turn. The agent brought up my reservation , typed a few seconds, then asked me if I was local. I replied yes. The agent tells me that he cannot rent " Dream Cars " to locals, only members that have a confirmed return flight that corresponds with the rental. The agent added that I would need 4 forms of identification as well... I asked why, the agent said it was Hertz policy. Knowing there was a line behind me, I said thank you and headed to the main rental counter for more answers... after all, I am now stranded....

As I am walking to the main counter, I am reading each and every word on my reservation, looking for this "company policy", the fine print, anything that could have possibly warned me of this before driving all the way out and again, stranding myself. Nope, nada, no where does it say anything about "local renters" or 4 forms of ID, so to the main counter I go.

When I arrive, I see 2+ dozen people in line for what was 5+ agents. I wasn't interested in waiting in that line, so I started looking for the floating agent in the lobby. I asked for a supervisor or manager that may be able to help me. I was directed to a office with a quick point and statement " .....over there, that's where he is.... " I head over, to the mirrored glass office and found it empty. I went back to the floating agent and asked if they could please reach out to the supervisor. They did, telling me that he would be with me in a few minutes. 15-20 minutes later, he walks in , phone to his ear , walking aimlessly around, not making eye contact with me , and ignoring the floating agent who is
anxiously motioning that I was the one waiting on him. Another 5 minutes goes by, I am still waiting patiently, and I have had plenty of time to prepare my case.

The Supervisor walk from across the room, sizing me up the entire way, and greets me by asking if " I was the guy with a problem with his local rental reservation "... Yes, yes I am, My name is ........ I am the Fixed Operations Director for Ferrari Maserati here in Dallas , I hand him my business card ( he doesn't even look at it and hands it back ) ... I have a pre-paid reservation for a C63s that I was told I cannot rent because I am local.... I also added that I was stranded now, and would really appreciate some help.

He started with the ... " locals cannot " ... to which I asked would he be able to show me where that is stated anywhere in my reservation... he said no, he didn't have to. He quickly added that I would have had to have a departing reservation anyways... to which I said GREAT NEWS... I actually HAVE a departing reservation from DFW Airport , Friday night , which is another reason I was renting from this location... I showed him my reservation he said ok, so where is the arrival flight information?? Um, I just told you that I am local ... so no, no arrival flight.

He tells me again, he is not renting me the car and starts to walk off... I walk with him reminding him, that I have already PAID for the rental, there were no stipulations when Hertz accepted my money, all I wanted to was to leave with the car I had paid for.
I asked for help ( again ) understanding this policy, to which he said that he did not have time to go through all of Hertz P&P for me and would not do it.. I continued to plead my case and he threw in that there was nothing I could do about it... it was at this point he told me to leave the facility or he would call the Police... great... next viral video here we come... I asked for his business card, he said no.... I asked his name... he refused to provide it... I finally took a photo of him, so I could at least identify who he was if needed.

I am worked up, I invited him to call the rental car police, airport police, even the actual police, that I would be waiting right there... pointing to a seating area by the entrance. He laughed and walked away. None ever arrived and he disappeared as well....

I made an attempt to reach out to the local office that we use for client rentals at work. Since it was after hours, there was no one answering, which I expected. I contacted AMEX to stop the charges when they hit, and began pacing. I walked through Enterprise in the hopes that had C63 for rent ( nope) got all the way down to Sixt , they had several S-Class, for less than Hertz was going to charge for the C63... but I am not looking to buy a S-Class.. then it set in... how am I getting home , at 6:30pm , in the middle of no-where... taxi, limo, Uber... ? Grrrrr rent a car.. Nope.

Uber it is... $75.00 later I'm home!

Maybe I should have just gone online and entered another reservation, this time entering flight information for arrival and departure, and just hope they didn't ask to confirm...

I spent some time today, looking everywhere I could, I just cannot find anywhere that says a local cannot rent a Dream Car ( or any level of car for that matter ) from DFW Airport....

What does the F-Chat brain trust think I should do? How would you have handled it differently? Any secrets you will share that I could have used?

Anyone on Ferrari Chat work for Hertz?

This post allowed me to vent.. thank you for reading this far down...

S

 

Thank you for the link, it seems in my fog, I over looked that link all together.

I accept that I was obviously in the wrong.

Not to be mistaken that I agree... as I was still allowed to book reservation, using my status, so Hertz knew who I was and where I was based, so as the client, I was not made aware until I was on location. How hard would it be to program something into the reservation system that at minimum throws up a warning box stating the policy or how about not allow the reservation to go through at all?

But here is the rub, I feel that I could met each of the listed requirements, up to and including having a return flight for the day that I was returning the rental car. What are the chances of that, right...lol... ?

1. A valid United States or foreign country issued driver license - CHECK

2. A valid credit card, with sufficient credit available, embossed with the same name as the driver license; DEBIT CARDS ARE NOT ACCEPTED as a FOP (Form of Payment);- CHECK

3. An additional credit or debit card embossed with the same name as the driver license.- CHECK

4. One (1) of the following forms of government issued ID, in the same name as the driver license & credit card:
• Passport - United States or Foreign Country Issued - CHECK


NOTE: If a form of government issued ID is not presented, Hertz may consider the acceptance of an alternate non-government form of ID. Acceptability will be determined when the ID is presented at the time of rental. Hertz reserves the right to reject the ID as acceptable for qualification at its sole discretion and without explanation. If Hertz management rejects the ID, an alternate vehicle model will be offered for rental (pending standard rental qualification). An example of ID the Manager may accept includes a photo store member card (Costco, Sam's, etc.), a photo employee ID card, etc.

By the way... I was never offered an alt level of rental, not even suggested... Maybe I should have asked, but that would have defeated the whole reason I was there... why rent a Toyota?

5. A return airline ticket or itinerary in the same name as the driver's license. If the customer does not have a paper copy, the manager will ask the customer to email a copy (e-ticket or itinerary is acceptable), for Hertz record to accompany the above forms of identification.- CHECK - I have a trip leaving today from DFW Airport to Italy... so that counts.

I do NOT however see anything that in their policy says I have to show proof of ARRIVAL flight... am I missing it?

So , I am back to where I started , show me where is says I , as a local resident, cannot rent a dream car? Don't I meet the above requirements?

Thank you, I will.

1. Branch Manager was the one I was working with, so no hope there.
2. Regional Manager - In motion now
3. I truly feel this is the issue this time around.. as I have not had bad service in the last 12+ years of using Hertz around the world.
4. Agreed
5. I am in the position to chose who the department uses for cars... and for now, Enterprise will be that company. Not that it's a lot of cars, but at any given time I have 30 +cars out on our dime. I have to consider that I am now hurting my branch because of something another branch did. When asked, and I will be , I will use it as an opportunity to explain and maybe get the right persons attention.

S