My turn for a rant...

[Great-Kazoo]

1: the rental issue was probably due to you wanting a 1 way rental

2: The few times we fly the extra $$ for flight ins (cancelled or over booked flight) paid off

3: the airline should have covered an overnight stay

4: I would have gone on CL looking through those Ride Share threads. Gotten to LV then flew out of there, or grabbed a car. but that's how we are, not loaded down with kids and pets
http://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/rid/5034653605.html

[RCCrawler]

Damn. You got the old with no lube.

We don't have credit cards either. We were just talking about renting a car here in August too. Gotta rethink that I guess.

We had no issue with renting a car for the entire week we were here, but being that it was a one way rental this time the rules changed.

Uber?

All seriousness, I did avis for a one way (San Jose to LAX) with just my bank card.

Avis was the company I tried the hardest with and spent an hour in their lobby. If you use a debit card they do a "soft" credit check that literally takes 2 seconds. For whatever reason this was denied for both my wife and I. I know my credit usually hovers just over 800 and hers just over 750 so we have no clue why we both got denied seperatly.

Was it Frontier Airlines? They are going downhill fast.

Nope, Spirit. We're done flying with them.

Was there an explanation for the refusal to allow the rental on the debit card? Was it because it was a one way rental? Or was there a balance issue?

I understand the reluctance to carry a credit card, but you can see where that position could hang you up in the future. What is there was an emergency and you had to get home and you needed the rental ASAP--and you get the run around with this credit card position?

Just because Dave Ramsey says don't get a credit card doesn't mean their not useful in these situations--their cars, their rules.

Also, if it was Frontier--i had a similar situation last week but luckily my flight was only delayed 5 hours, not cancelled. Seems like one is rolling the dice booking with them these days.

The balance in the account was plenty sufficient, they just stated that one way rentals require credit cards. Looks like we'll be getting one now.

Spirit airlines I assume?

it happens, part of the airline experience at any airline unfortunately. Stuff breaks, weather happens, people happen. Sorry to hear for your troubles, I'd definitely get a credit card just for these types of things, toss it in the safe most days, but traveling it is almost a must anymore.

You got it, Spirit.

There re were a lot of pissed off people at the ticket counter lastnight. I never understood people screaming and yelling profanities at the poor ladies at the desk, it's not their fault.

I am pretty upset at the way it was handled. All day long they just kept pushing it back until finally they just canceled it. Spirit would allow us to rebook with them at a later date, or give us our money back, that was it. The next possible flights they had were Wednesday with a 9 hour layover in Vegas or Saturday with a 9 hour layover in Vegas.

[theGinsue]

If you use a debit card they do a "soft" credit check that literally takes 2 seconds. For whatever reason this was denied for both my wife and I. I know my credit usually hovers just over 800 and hers just over 750 so we have no clue why we both got denied seperatly.

As I understand it, debit cards usually have a $300 or $500 maximum daily charge to reduce the effects of stolen cards. Avis likely tried to do their "soft" check for more than that amount - which resulted in the denial for each of you.

Just my best guess.

As far as not getting the reach around, the airlines have contracted that out to TSA these days. (Sorry Chuck, I couldn't resist)

[hurley842002]

As I understand it, debit cards usually have a $300 or $500 maximum daily charge to reduce the effects of stolen cards. Avis likely tried to do their "soft" check for more than that amount - which resulted in the denial for each of you.

Just my best guess.

As far as not getting the reach around, the airlines have contracted that out to TSA these days. (Sorry Chuck, I couldn't resist)

Oh I've put quite a bit more than either of those amounts on my debit card. I suppose every institution is different tho.