May 2019 Car Rental Thread

[goobylal]

I am back, and hope everyone who has gone already, had a good trip. My experience with Alamo was different than what some have described here. I booked a standard and was allowed to choose only from standard. To get a full size, they said I would have to pay more.

Now, in the past I have found across the board with any car rental company, that if they are all out of the car class I had booked, then they will let me get the next available size up, at no extra charge.

But it was not my experience with Alamo that you could get a full size for the same price as a standard, when they have standard cars available.

So wait. Did they have standard cars available or not when you arrived? If they were out, they should have given you a size up at no extra charge. If they had them, they were under no obligation to give you a size up for free.

 

[DisneyinPA]

I am back, and hope everyone who has gone already, had a good trip. My experience with Alamo was different than what some have described here. I booked a standard and was allowed to choose only from standard. To get a full size, they said I would have to pay more.

Now, in the past I have found across the board with any car rental company, that if they are all out of the car class I had booked, then they will let me get the next available size up, at no extra charge.

But it was not my experience with Alamo that you could get a full size for the same price as a standard, when they have standard cars available.

Thanks for the update. I arrive Sunday and had a standard booked. I am going to re-book as a fullsize just to be safe. Of course, the rates are a bit higher than they were when I originally booked.

I don’t understand since they don’t have a standard aisle????? How could u have to get a standard car when they are in the full size lot??

 

[staceyj2]

I don’t understand since they don’t have a standard aisle????? How could u have to get a standard car when they are in the full size lot??

I don't really understand either as I was under the same impression that there was no standard aisle. Having said that, I feel I probably need the full size luggage space so I booked a full size to be safe. Of course it is about $15 higher then what I would have paid for a full size when I last booked.

 

[goobylal]

They offer standard cars to be booked. How can they not have a standard aisle? I booked a midsize but I'll check/ask when I'm down there on Monday.

 

[DaisyDuck001]

So wait. Did they have standard cars available or not when you arrived? If they were out, they should have given you a size up at no extra charge. If they had them, they were under no obligation to give you a size up for free.

On my most recent trip, they had standard cars available when I arrived, and I had to choose from the standard cars, to avoid paying extra.

On some of my previous trips with various car rental companies, they were out of standard cars when I arrived, so I was able to get the next size up, at no extra charge.

I don’t understand since they don’t have a standard aisle????? How could u have to get a standard car when they are in the full size lot??

They actually did have a standard aisle when I was there this month.

I don't really understand either as I was under the same impression that there was no standard aisle. Having said that, I feel I probably need the full size luggage space so I booked a full size to be safe. Of course it is about $15 higher then what I would have paid for a full size when I last booked.

Not sure why so many folks thought there was no standard aisle. There was one during my trip this month.

They offer standard cars to be booked. How can they not have a standard aisle? I booked a midsize but I'll check/ask when I'm down there on Monday.

They do have a standard aisle, as I saw this month.

 

[goobylal]

On my most recent trip, they had standard cars available when I arrived, and I had to choose from the standard cars, to avoid paying extra.

On some of my previous trips with various car rental companies, they were out of standard cars when I arrived, so I was able to get the next size up, at no extra charge.

So...have other car companies given you a free upgrade to a full size car when they did have a standard car, that you booked, available? Otherwise I'm not seeing the problem here, as Alamo would definitely give you a free upgrade to a full size if they didn't have a standard car available (which they did) and are under no obligation to give you a free upgrade if the car class you booked is available.

They do have a standard aisle, as I saw this month.

That's what I figured.

 

[DaisyDuck001]

So...have other car companies given you a free upgrade to a full size car when they did have a standard car, that you booked, available? Otherwise I'm not seeing the problem here, as Alamo would definitely give you a free upgrade to a full size if they didn't have a standard car available (which they did) and are under no obligation to give you a free upgrade if the car class you booked is available.

No, they have not. And I am not saying there is any problem, at all. Some people earlier in this thread had stated that if you book a standard size car with Alamo, they will give you a full size car at that price, because according to these people, there is no separate aisle for standard size. The purpose of my post was to mention that my experience was different. It most certainly was not to complain. I thought it would be useful to people who have not yet made their trip, to know that there is a standard aisle and that if you book standard, you will get standard, unless the standards are all gone when you arrive. My aim was to be helpful. Not to complain in any way. Although some comments earlier in this thread led me to expect a full size at a standard price, a standard was OK for me.

 

[goobylal]

No, they have not. And I am not saying there is any problem, at all. Some people earlier in this thread had stated that if you book a standard size car with Alamo, they will give you a full size car at that price, because according to these people, there is no separate aisle for standard size. The purpose of my post was to mention that my experience was different. It most certainly was not to complain. I thought it would be useful to people who have not yet made their trip, to know that there is a standard aisle and that if you book standard, you will get standard, unless the standards are all gone when you arrive. My aim was to be helpful. Not to complain in any way. Although some comments earlier in this thread led me to expect a full size at a standard price, a standard was OK for me.

Sorry, my bad. I took those people previously to be saying they got lucky with an upgrade, not to expect one. And you are correct that expect to get what you booked, if they have them available, and if they don't and you expected more, that's on you.

 

[staceyj2]

No, they have not. And I am not saying there is any problem, at all. Some people earlier in this thread had stated that if you book a standard size car with Alamo, they will give you a full size car at that price, because according to these people, there is no separate aisle for standard size. The purpose of my post was to mention that my experience was different. It most certainly was not to complain. I thought it would be useful to people who have not yet made their trip, to know that there is a standard aisle and that if you book standard, you will get standard, unless the standards are all gone when you arrive. My aim was to be helpful. Not to complain in any way. Although some comments earlier in this thread led me to expect a full size at a standard price, a standard was OK for me.

I appreciate the information! I had time to re-book so thanks for sharing.

 

[keishashadow]

No, they have not. And I am not saying there is any problem, at all. Some people earlier in this thread had stated that if you book a standard size car with Alamo, they will give you a full size car at that price, because according to these people, there is no separate aisle for standard size. The purpose of my post was to mention that my experience was different. It most certainly was not to complain. I thought it would be useful to people who have not yet made their trip, to know that there is a standard aisle and that if you book standard, you will get standard, unless the standards are all gone when you arrive. My aim was to be helpful. Not to complain in any way. Although some comments earlier in this thread led me to expect a full size at a standard price, a standard was OK for me.

You experience is new, alamo MCO has not had a standard aisle in years

Regardless, the interpretation of midsize/fullsize can be definitely blurred as to what you find on the aisle.

Midsize has had everything from a random compact up to SUVs & Minivans when we’ve be en there over the years, all depending on the luck of the draw.