Hi everyone and happy New Year. Just wanted to post advice re the above companies. I booked and paid for car hire in SA thru Altaschoice. I picked up car in Cape Town and returned it in good repair with a full tank etc. I discovered when I returned to IRL that Dollar Thrifty had charged my credit card an add'l amount of ZAR 12, 195 (€807). They did this without my knowledge or consent and I don't, as yet, have an explanation for the charges. In talking with my bank, I was informed that Atlaschoice appears to be in financial trouble and clients are arriving at car hire desks only to discover they have no rental. This seems to be supported by this article in the Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/money/2...pany-leaves-customers-with-worthless-bookings
I'm not absolutely sure Dollar Thrifty's charges to my card relate to this issue, but it seems likely. In talking to the guy in Visa Open24 he advised that he had had a number of calls about this, and that apparently the name Atlaschoice appears in different formats and variations.
I am pursuing Dollar Thrifty for the return of my monies, but it seems appropriate to warn anyone who may have a booking with Atlaschoice to look into it before traveling. I read one report on a SA consumer site saying that when the customers arrived at the Dollar Thrifty desk in Cape Town they were told they had no booking (altho they had already paid for it with Atlaschoice) and to add insult to injury, Dollar Thrifty then quoted twice the original amount they had already paid. This seemed like very questionable practice on behalf of Dollar Thrifty and my experience seems to bear this out. I have been very disappointed and disturbed at their handling of my case and particularly their conduct regarding my credit card. For those traveling to SA & hiring a car my advice is to look elsewhere.
I'm not absolutely sure Dollar Thrifty's charges to my card relate to this issue, but it seems likely. In talking to the guy in Visa Open24 he advised that he had had a number of calls about this, and that apparently the name Atlaschoice appears in different formats and variations.
I am pursuing Dollar Thrifty for the return of my monies, but it seems appropriate to warn anyone who may have a booking with Atlaschoice to look into it before traveling. I read one report on a SA consumer site saying that when the customers arrived at the Dollar Thrifty desk in Cape Town they were told they had no booking (altho they had already paid for it with Atlaschoice) and to add insult to injury, Dollar Thrifty then quoted twice the original amount they had already paid. This seemed like very questionable practice on behalf of Dollar Thrifty and my experience seems to bear this out. I have been very disappointed and disturbed at their handling of my case and particularly their conduct regarding my credit card. For those traveling to SA & hiring a car my advice is to look elsewhere.
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