Calledali wrote:On Sunday I returned a car to Goldcar tank half full after finding the petrol station at alicante airport has been demolished. Because I had a full / full agreement they have very kindly surcharged me 50 Euro for not returning the car full, +36 Euro for the fuel This is after I had enquired at the hire desk if the petrol station was open on Easter Sunday, which they assures me it was.
I think Goldcar have just lost a regular customer, normally 5 hires each year from me let alone my family.
Can anyone recommend an honest car hire company with a desk in Alicante Airport, if there is such a thing.
Taking the emotion out of the situation what you have to remember is that with a full to full policy the car will need filling up for the next customer and that takes both manpower and time both of which cost them money, and more now since it's further to the nearest petrol station.
While I'm sure we can argue about the actual level of the charge it has to be punitive because if it were just the cost of the fuel itself then there would little or no incentive for hirers to fill up and the whole process of hiring a car would grind to a halt with staff preoccupied with ferrying cars back and forth to a petrol station !
It does surprises me that they told you the Galp airport station would be open over Easter as they must have known it had been closed down, perhaps there was a misunderstanding between that one and the El Altet on the N332a ?
A tip for the future: there are probably a dozen fuel stations within say a 10-15km radius of Alicante airport and unless the vehicle is a single digit mpg behemoth no fuel gauge is going to register the difference between a tank filled up at one of those or at one on the airport itself so next time fill up at your convenience somewhere else along the way.
If you've been happy with Gold Car until this incident then think twice about jumping ship in a fit of pique as it will likely cost you more in the long run.