BEWARE CAR RENTAL in ABERDEEN

I have very happily returned to this paradise island after a week in Aberdeen, North East Scotland.  I had some business to complete, best done in person, but I needed transport.  Rent a Car.  I already did the research here in my office in Crete, and identified what seemed to be a great deal.4 or 5 days.Aberdeen Airport branch of a particular company  When I arrived in Aberdeen, I telephoned the chosen car hire company...........I should have taken the warning then!!......only to be told there were no cars available, end of conversation!  Goodbye.  Not to be beaten, I telephoned again and asked when there would be a car available.  Not rocket science (maybe it was actually).  They had to ring me back.  OK, tomorrow, and I would get a train, bus and taxi (there is NO easy way to get to Aberdeen Airport, the oil capital of Europe) and collect the car before 9 a.m.  I confirmed it was the minimum cost option as described on the web-site.  Yes I was told.  Great.

So next morning, off I went in the pouring freezing rain, still dark at 7.30 a.m. (its a 30 mile trip, so yes it does take an hour and a half, and I was only two minutes from the train station too.!) I get to the airport at 9a.m.
Pleasant young man, supervised by a bossy young blonde who delighted in making it obvious he was new to the job.  Poor guy.  Little did he know what he was letting himself in for.

And so, we duly went through the whole admin and insurance thing, as you do, and then he asked me for over 300 sterling.  HOW MUCH?????? 4 or 5 DAYS  ?  Then, the bossy blonde interrupted yet again, and told me in a loud and very hoity toity manner if I wasn't happy, I could go home and book on-line.  GO HOME...?    To CRETE?    She told me it wasn't her problem, and she didn't have to sit there and  listen to me .......oh yes, sorry, I am the customer, how silly of me to forget my place........At that point I realised this was all hopeless and I was getting nowhere, literally nowhere, I now had no transport...........no way was I going to pay 300 sterling for a few days.  I could have bought an old banger for that and that would have suited me very well, thank you very much.  So I politely said I thought I would just leave it.  At which time the bossy blonde....she was all of 21 or 22.........said she thought that was a good idea.

I wonder who she is working for?  Which of the  competition I mean.  This car rental company began with an E.........e.  can you work it out?  Well, I sure hope so if you are going to Aberdeen, and want to rent a car from the Airport...........BEWARE....Not only the horrendous prices, but the appalling attitude that does nothing to serve Aberdeen.  Ask Donald Trump..he's just experienced it too.

However, if you ARE going to Aberdeen I did find out about a car company in Mugiemoss Road where you
can hire a car for about 60 sterling for 3 or 4 days.  Much better. Although I didn't take advantage of it. After that nasty little experience, I was going to rough it by train and bus.  Which I did.

The thing is, I met somebody else in a totally non-connected situation whose friend had the exact same experience with the same company at the Airport.

Its a great shame that a once great city now offers lousy service by bossy young blondes who don't care one way or the other. I hope her boss is reading this.  She was the Manager of the Airport Branch.  Well, she wouldn't have lasted two minutes in my employ.  I totally believe in service, not just good, but great service, and its always a pleasure to feel that warm fuzzy inside when I have helped somebody.  Sadly, this is something the bossy blonde will probably never experience.

Comments

[Car Rentals UK]

Nothing is worse than a rude, incosiderate non-helping member of staff, i definately understand your annoyance.

If you are having trouble finding cheap car hire then you should come and take a look at CarRentals.co.uk. We are a car hire search comparison site, that searches up to 50 major car hire companies for the cheapest deals. We do all of the searching for you, so finding the cheapest deals is one less thing for you to worryn about.

As for the politeness of staff we cannot judge this and just hope that next time you get someone who cares about the company and customers.

[anne jackson]

This is indeed good news and I am delighted you have responded to my article. I will contact you personally on my next visit to Scotland.

Again, many thanks.

Anne J.