Gerry Schwartz reserved a Advantage car when he booked his Hawaiian Airlines tickets online. It just took a few extra clicks and the weekly rental cost only $270. So why did he end up spending an extra $707 for his car?
The answer is not just interesting, but it also raises questions about an Web site’s responsibility when something goes wrong.
When Schwartz and his wife landed in Maui recently, they discovered the Advantage location was closed.
We were informed by a Hawaiian Airlines employee to go to Dollar Rent-A-Car and they would honor my reservation.
We went to Dollar Rent-A-Car office and they told me that they had no arrangement with Advantage Rent-A-Car and that we would have to rent a car from them and pay for the rental with them and settle with Advantage ourselves. That rental with Dollar cost my wife and I an additional $707 for the week.
Schwartz called Hawaiian and was told the airline was “in no way responsible for the car rental that we reserved.”
Even after I informed them that the credit card payment went to Hawaiian Airlines they emphatically stated that they had no responsibility and to call the car rental office. The person on the phone provided me with the 800 number, which I called but of course this number was no longer in service.
When we returned home, we called Advantage and spoke with two people. The first person I spoke with stated that I should have received an email stating that “certain offices” were being closed and who in Maui would handle our reservation. I mentioned that I never received any email informing me of this and requested to speak with a manager.
I was transferred to another person who rather rudely informed me that Advantage was “bankrupt” and they had no ability to return my rental payment. When I requested the state that they declared bankruptcy in so I could file a claim she merely stated she had no idea and probably I could find it on their Web site.
I couldn’t find any reference to the “not my problem” attitude expressed by the Hawaiian employee to whom Schwartz spoke. Quite the contrary. The airline’s code of business ethics and conduct (PDF) suggests it shouldn’t have abandoned a paying customer.
The Company’s directors, officers and employees shall conduct themselves in a fair, ethical, legal and honest manner. In conducting the Company’s business, trust and integrity must be a cornerstone in all of the business dealings and relationships these individuals establish with stockholders, customers, vendors, competitors, governmental officials, communities, the media and the general public, as well as each other.
The Company’s directors, officers and employees shall not engage in conduct or activity that could raise questions as to the Company’s honesty or reputation or otherwise cause embarrassment to the Company or its stakeholders. There should be careful observance of laws and regulations, as well as high regard for appropriate standards of conduct and personal integrity.
Schwartz decided to put his complaint in writing. And something finally clicked at Hawaiian. Here’s its final answer:
Please extend my apologies to the client for any inconvenience they experienced. The client was given a vehicle. However, he was charged locally. I have applied the voucher and issued a credit to his credit card in the amount of $668.34. The remaining balance is $38.66 for the taxes and fees.
I trust this resolves this matter.
It does, but there’s a broader lesson here: A travel company has to stand by the product it sells through its site. If it doesn’t, then what’s the point of buying anything through a third party? Hawaiian Airlines did the right thing when it helped Schwartz recover his money — eventually.
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{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Terrible service! Hawaiian airlines should be very ashamed.
Chris asks, “then what’s the point of buying anything through a third party? ”
I say none. Once again, the problem arises because the purchase was made through a 3rd party, rather than the travel provider directly allowing everyone to point fingers and deny resonsibility.
Looks like there’s a “disconnect” between the Hawaiian Airlines agent Mr. Schwartz spoke with and the other who eventually resolved the issue. Depending on what their internal policy is for this sort of thing, they ought to be consistent about it.
One travel agency I know would refund the Advantage car reservation if the customer asked for it, although they won’t pay any difference if they got a car at a higher price. At least they’re consistent, although some people won’t like their latter policy about it.
Advantage is/was owned by Denny Hecker, a Minneapolis/St. Paul auto dealer who owns and has closed several dealerships in the Twin Cities area. Many of his dealerships are in bankruptcy. Ford and GM are suing him and he is suing Chrysler.
there will be more of this Chris warned of this as a possibility in an earlier blog when advantage rent a car went bankrupt and closed its doors. you will see more of this in the future from larger companies
http://www.elliott.org/blog/warning-auto-industry-breakdown-could-spell-big-trouble-for-car-renters/
The employee did THE solution to a customer problem. Told you something to make you happy and walk away: “We were informed by a Hawaiian Airlines employee to go to Dollar Rent-A-Car and they would honor my reservation.”
This is the common way to handle difficult situations. This is how officers in the military were able to send soldiers to their deaths. The oft-asked rhetorical question from the foxhole: “Who you gonna complain to, your congressman, your president? They’re the ones that got us into this war!”
As Leo Getz (Joe Peschi) would exclaim: “Never go through the drive-thru…!”