I stood in line for 3 hours to get a rental car at the airport – it was total chaos and I didn’t get what I paid for

A driver has expressed her frustration after waiting in line for hours for her rental car after a flight.

She said she risked losing $300 if she left her place, so she waited for hours in hopes of getting a car.

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According to local ABC affiliate WKBW, Sheryl Cherico flew to Buffalo Niagara International Airport in New York.

Cherico walked through the terminal to a Dollar and Hertz Rental counter to pick up her car.

However, she said there were only two people behind the counter helping a number of other customers.

When it was her turn, the staff reportedly gave her even more bad news.

“I waited in line for 45 minutes and was told there were no cars and that the wait was just for check-in,” she told the station.

Cherico said staff told her a new car would be ready “in at least two hours.”

The driver said she left the airport to get something to eat.

When she returned later, she found even more people at the counter.

“It was chaos,” she told the broadcaster. “It was just completely unacceptable.”

Employees reportedly said that despite Cherico waiting for hours, there were already 19 other customers in line ahead of her.

Cherico said she waited several more hours and finally got into a car.

However, it was not the car she had paid for through her online travel service. If she had not waited, she would have risked losing her money, she said.

“I could have taken Uber to another car dealership,” she said.

“I had a lot of options, but I didn’t want to waste the $300 I spent on the rental car.”

Drivers should book their car as early as possible before the trip, rental experts told the broadcaster.

Things to consider when renting a car

According to The Boston Globe, anyone renting a car should take a few minutes to check a few boxes before deciding on a rental car.

1. Remember that car rental companies are responsible for making sure the cars are in good working order, and if you ever find yourself in a situation where you have to wait more than 90 minutes for a tow truck, they advise you to leave the keys in the rental car and ask for a refund if other transportation options are available (such as a ride from a friend, Uber, or Lyft).
2. Be wary of roadside assistance packages. Most packages cover cases like forgetting your keys in the car or running out of gas, but mechanical problems are the company’s responsibility.
3. However, an accident is the responsibility of the renter and will be billed to your insurance and not to the company.
4. Certain memberships, such as AAA or AARP, may qualify you for a discount on rentals.
5. Some companies will offer insurance for a small fee even though you are already covered by your personal insurance. Before declining rental insurance, you may want to double check that your insurance covers the rental.
6. To protect yourself from claims for damages from the company, carry out a visual inspection of the vehicle before leaving the premises.
7. When returning the vehicle, make sure that the fuel level is as close as possible to the level it was at when you left to avoid a fuel charge.
8. Research different car rental companies before choosing one. Some may have better reviews or guarantees than others.
9. Maintain all contact via email or text message in case a claim needs to be made later.
10. If you notice any scratches or dents on the vehicle, be sure to take photos with a time and date stamp to avoid claims for damages.

Source: The Boston Globe

If you secure a vehicle a few weeks before your trip, you can be sure that the car rental companies will have better availability.

They also mentioned that it is common practice for car rental companies to rent a car from a competitor to accommodate their paying customers.

In a statement to the news channel, Hertz apologized to Cherico for the experience and said the company had given her a $200 credit.

“Unfortunately, our Buffalo Airport location experienced some unfortunate short-term operational delays on Friday, August 9,” a Hertz representative said.

“Although operations have returned to normal, we have reached out to Ms. Cherico to apologize and provide them with a credit for the rent.”

The US Sun has asked Hertz for comment on this story, but the company did not immediately respond.