Many Budget Rent A Car, outlets around Australia are operated by Budget's own Corporate group owned by the business itself. Budget also has extra Australia wide coverage provided by franchise operators.
To speed up car hire operations, Budget operates an app and a website where people of all ages with a driver's licence can book a car for pleasure or business. It enables people to book a car to avoid the last minute rush or disappointment of not getting a car during busy times.
The system works well for older Australians but for younger Australians, there is a trap with dealing with Budget Rent A Car, that leads to disappointment and resentment. Budget has age rules. Persons under 25 even with a non probationary licence, can book hire cars that are classed as small or intermediate but there is a ban on them hiring some basic cars like Holden Commodores. That rule is not imposed or controlled by Budget when booking online.
An example of Budget corporate deception came to light over the busy Christmas holiday when a 22 year old with a full licence went to the Budget Rent A Car web site to make a booking for a trip. He booked a Holden Commodore for pick at Coolangatta Airport during the busy holiday time when many car rentals at the airport had no cars available.
The booking facility operated by Budget, provides for people to book a Commodore, state their age and if necessary pay a $16.50 per day youth surcharge for under 25's. Budget takes bookings for Holden Commodores even though it will not rent a Holden Commodore to anyone under 25. The young man in question with a full licence, including heavy vehicles and semi trailers fronted up at Coolangatta Airport to collect his car and was declined. He was refused because Budget will not rent a Commodore to under 25's.
The issue that needs to be addressed in the younger person Australian travel market is that Budget takes and confirms the booking, calculates the youth surcharge and issues a reservation number that people rely on, even though it has no intention of honouring the commitment to the hire customer.
The young man in question turned up at the Coolangatta Airport and was refused. Budget would not hire the car he booked online even though he was accurate with his age. Could it be that Budget springs the bad news on the customer at the point of pick up to avoid them going to Thrifty Car Rentals which will hire Commodores?
Why does Budget take the booking and turn people away at the very last minute when they have no other choice but to accept of miss out on their holiday or business trip?
Either way, it is deceive and misleading to advertise a product, take a booking, impose a surcharge and then announce the policy at the point of collection.
Young Australians need to take care when booking with Budget as Budget is not "up front" in the online booking facility. Better to go to Thrifty which honours bookings to avoid disappointment and the horrible feeling of being conned.
Budget through a spokesperson, Mr Efaraima, offered the explanation to the young man that the car rental system is not designed to limit car type to under 25's and will take a booking and confirm a reservation and that Budget reveals the policy rule at the point of hire such as at an airport.
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