Airlines have been getting a lot of static for unbundled air fares that make a bargain ticket no bargain at all when all the add-ons are, well, added on. This is especially irritating because many of them used to be included. But the arlines are pikers compared with car-rental companies, and it appears that locations at some airports are worse than others. My friend and fellow travel writer and blogger Hilary Nangle, with New England frugality running through her veins, got quite a travel shock when she rented a car in the Phoenix. She wrote on her Facebook page:
"Welcome to Phoenix: one-week car rental, $179 for a Toyota Camry PLUS taxes and fees, $195 (concession fee recovery 11.10%; county surcharge, $17.44; Customer facility charge, $42; Op/Maint/Bus/Recv and energ Srchg: $8.02; Tax-15.30, $82.10). By the time I added insurance, my $179 rental was $636.10."Nangle is not an inexperienced traveler, but car rental companies are cagy unbundlers and have been for quite some time.SmarterTravel.com warned of hidden fees back in 2004, well before airlines were affilicted with raging unbundling fever. And last year Chris Elliott, travel consumer advocate, wrote "Broadsided: 5 New Car Rental Fees to Avoid" on his award-winning site.
The truth is that travelers are often in a rush, especially at airport locations, and don't have time to read contracts or bills carefully -- or are a bit embarrassed to do so. Additionally, since many car renters are business travelers who expense their vehicles, companies can institute policies that are not generally questioned by those who don't pay the bill. But more and more, it pays to slow down, taking time to read and question suspicious add-ons to those lengthy contracts when picking up a car invoices when returning it.
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