Does the Irish Independent Actually Understand Car Rental?

This is not the first, second or third time the Irish Independent has published short sighted populist articles without proper research that criticise the car rental industry, both in Ireland and abroad. I have commented on one of these articles before (Festive Car Hire Rip-off Nonsense) which commented on a poorly research article about the price rises in the car rental industry during the Christmas peak period.

While reading the Independent this morning I came across an awful situation in which an Irish holiday maker ended up in while travelling to France. The holiday maker in question had rented a car on a laser card, which the car rental company refused to accept when she arrived to collect her rental car.

There can be no doubt that arriving at an airport to collect a car and being refused is an awful situation, but laser cards cannot be used as security against possible damage to the car. The renter in question was refused a refund and her question revolved around this. She unfortunately had to get a taxi form the airport to her eventual destination at great expense.

The Irish Independent unfortunately thinks this is a simple case of daylight robbery on the part of the car rental company which is a very simple view of the situation (link).

“You had a confirmed booking and had paid the amount requested so it seems both unusual and unfair that you were not given the car. You should be given a refund for the €308 paid, given you did not receive the service you had paid for.”

Only recently (30 June 2009) the Independent published an article recommending that people read the fine print when renting a car, but no mention of the fine details of this rental where mentioned which would of no doubt said a laser card cannot be used to rent a car.

It would have been a nice gesture for the car rental company to refund some if not all of the €308 they had taken as deposit against the car rental, but the company could have turned away business to hold a car for this customer. As a result of a mistake by the renter in paying by laser card, the car rental company should not be out of pocket.

While the car rental company had room to manoeuvre in this situation, none of these options were mentioned in the article. Additional insurance could have been prepaid along with fuel and a small deposit taken to cover any possible liability in the case of damage.

Of course, I’m presuming the car rental company were acting in a fair way which may be completely wrong. The car rental company could have had no cars left and because the payment was made by laser card, had grounds on which to refuse a car. .

In Ireland you cannot rent a car with a laser card or debit cards because the car rental company cannot put a hold on funds until the car is returned safely, as would happen when you check into a hotel.

The moral of the story is please use a credit card when renting a car, and not a laser or debit card which while appearing to act like credit cards do not offer any security for the car rental company. A company renting you something worth maybe 35k will want to protect themselves and only a credit card allows themselves to do this.

Originally Posted on the Travel in Ireland Blog.

Info Ireland – Travel in Ireland Blog by Travel in Ireland is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at the Info Ireland Blog.

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Festive Car Hire Rip Off Nonsense

Every year the press go to town on the fact that prices in the car hire industry increase for Christmas. Like clockwork the Independent have not disappointed us this year with Breda Heffernan not really understanding how markets work. Almost to the day last year we had “Car hire firms under attack for festive price hike“.

Do car hire prices in Ireland go up each year during the festive time? Of course they do, but so does demand and as demand rises prices rise. We can see this simply economic principle at work everywhere in Ireland today as shops all over Ireland reduce their prices to drum up demand. When demand was high prices were high.

I have a number of serious issues with the Independent’s stance:

1 – Prices in the car hire market are at an all time low so comparing a period of high demand from an all time low is always going to be sensational
2 – Prices of car rentals is often the last aspect of a holiday to be booked and therefore not really going to have too much of an impact on the tourism matters
3 – Airlines and hotels always raise their fairs for high demand period such as Christmas

Senator Brendan Ryan described the price rises as ‘truly shocking’ to add some credence to the article, but in fairness you’d hardly expect a politician to back a company over the electoral. It is a pity he wasn’t asked for a quote on the record low prices and he is right when he says it is the job of the car rental companies to make a profit.

“At a time when we should be doing everything we can to attract visitors to Ireland, we have car hire companies engaging in this kind of gouging. This is profiteering plain and simple.” – Senator Ryan

Senator Ryan then went on to say that savings could be made by people booking cars over the internet from other countries and to a certain extent he is right. Unfortunately for him and this article, prices from American branches of international car hire firms are quoted without insurance so they are always going to be cheaper. Car rentals in the US are different to car rentals in Europe in that the European prices are quoted with insurance. But then again if this article had of been properly researched they would of known this.

Ann Fitzgerald of the National Consumer Agency meanwhile provided some resemblance of reason when she said that price increases were not illegal and advised consumers to shop around.

“As there is no price control in Ireland, companies will charge what they think the market can bear and prices do seem to increase during the busiest periods” – Ann Fitzgerald: National Consumer Agency

Indeed it is competition among the car rental companies which means cars can be rented for extremely low prices at the moment and that is of course good for the consumer. But competition is still at play when prices are increased and it is up to the consumer to make a choice. The article references one example where prices have risen 213% for the Christmas period, but this is probably due to the fact the car rental company is sold out and has limited availability. You would hardly expect to get the last seat on a Ryanair flight for the same price as the first one.

Ann went on to make the point that car rental is often advertised with a basic price and not inclusive of essential costs which is correct when it comes to renting from the US as Senator Ryan would have us do. Basic insurance is always included in European prices but things like one way drops and out of hours returns do incur extra charges as they incur extra costs on the company and are not part of the basic price.

“A big problem with car rental is that the advertised basic price may be displayed as inclusive of essential costs with insurance and tax, but often excludes additional key services such as hiring and returning the car to different places, returning outside business hours or crossing a boarder” – Ann Fitzgerald: National Consumer Agency

I contacted Gary Curtin of Atlas Car Hire Ireland to get a comment on the article and while he did not want to comment on the article itself he did have this to say:

“I have always viewed Christmas rentals as an opportunity to demonstrate to our clients that Atlas Car Hire is a good value car rental company. Our rates are always excellent value compared to Ryanair or Aer Lingus. My philosophy is to treat people as you would like to be treated yourself.” – Gary Curtin: Atlas Car Hire.com

The basic point is that car hire prices are reflective of demand and are subject to the same economic rules as every other product. I think it is unfair to lay the troubles of the tourism industry at the feet of the car rental companies. There is always some confusion over car rental products among consumers, particularly in reference to fully inclusive insurance charges which are extra but are a mater of choice. Maybe my next article should be on how car rental works.

To be fair to the article and the author I would like to offer the opportunity for a response, in fact I will publish any response to this article, good or bad. Comments as always are appreciated.

Related Stories
- Car-hire firms accused of festive rip-off as prices soar
- Car hire firms under attack for festive price hike

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GPS Rental Prices in Ireland

Many people choose to rent a GPS device at the time of renting a car. It is easy to understand the appeal of renting a GPS device while you are in a foreign country and have no local knowledge. This article is going to look at the main providers of Car Rentals in Ireland and the cost of renting a GPS device per day and per week.

Company		Daily Rate	Weekly Rate
Thrifty Car Rental	-	€10 Per Day	€50 Per Week
Atlas Car Hire	-	€10 Per Day	€50 Per Week
County Car Rental	-	€9 Per Day	€63 Per Week
Irish Car Rental	-	€10 Per Day	€70 Per Week
Hertz	-	€10 Per Day	€70 Per Week
Europe Car	-	€15 Per Day	€105 Per Week
Budget Car Rental	-	€15 Per Day	€105 Per Week
Avis	-	€15 Per Day	€105 Per Week
Others		Daily Rate	Weekly Rate
Sat Nav Hire***	-	€8 Per Day	€56 Per Week

With the Garmin 200w pictured above available for sale in Ireland at with UK/Ireland maps for €159.72.

***Sat Nav Hire.ie is available to Irish residents only and works on a postal system. Deposits of either €275 or €400 are required depending on the length of the rental.

Related Stories
- The Ultimate GPS Resource for Ireland
- My POIS

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Returning a Rental Car – Petrol Stations

Often when dropping back a car rental there is so much going on that finding a petrol station to bring the car back full can end up very far down the list of priorities. The minor detail of bringing the car back full if you have not prepaid for a tank of fuel can be easily sacrificed when pressed for time. The cost of refueling the car yourself as opposed to paying the rental company rates is significantly cheaper.

At the time of booking the car this minor detail may not be a big concern, but the last thing you will want is additional charges on your credit card. Obviously it costs the car rental company in terms of fuel and labour to refill the car but the end result can be very expensive. You may have the best intentions in the world of bringing the car back full, but you more than likely will not know the area in which you are renting.

Thrifty Car Rental

Often, finding the rental return depot by itself can be challenge enough without needing to refuel. With all of this in mind, Thrifty Car Rental Ireland have just released GPS data files containing the exact position of their locations and a selection of surrounding petrol stations which can be downloaded by anybody from their website. They have also created a series of interactive Google Maps of their locations and the petrol stations surrounding their depots.

- Map of Petrol Stations
- Petrol Stations near Dublin Airport Depot
- Petrol Stations near Dublin City Depot
- Petrol Stations near Shannon Airport Depot
- Petrol Stations near Cork Airport Depot

Using these interactive maps anybody without a GPS can find out information about petrol stations near their locations. Each major road to and from a location has a selection of recommended petrol stations for added ease of use.

Petrol Stations Near Dublin Airport Thrifty Returns Depot

View Larger Map

Related Stories / Websites
- Pumps.ie
- Car Hire Tips

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Dublin Airport Information Map

View Larger Map

Information map showing the various services and departure gates at Dublin Airport. For more information on a particular item please click on the icon within the map.

How to Pay the M50 Toll Bridge Toll

There is a lot of confusion around over how to pay the new barrier free M50 Toll. I hope to address these issues in this post and give people some information on how to pay toll. Most confusion seems to be arising out of post paying the toll. Most Irish residents are well briefed on the particulars of paying for the toll. For tourists either renting a car or visiting Ireland in a car, the third option is most relevant.

Option 1: Tag Registration

The easiest way to pay the M50 toll is with an electronic tag. To receive an electronic tag you will need to register with one of the many providers. The toll costs €2 although most providers charge a €1 per month administration fee. Every time you pass through the toll with an electronic tag your account gets debited the cost of the toll. Your account is topped up automatically when your balance runs low and in effect is a pre-paid system.

For more information about the electronic tag operators please click here. The electronic tags work on all toll roads in Ireland but this option is not a viable one for tourists.

Option 2: Video Registration

The second automatic payment based system is a vehicle number plate based payment account. If you have a video registration account, you will be debited for each journey over the Toll Bridge that you make. Accounts can be either pre paid or post paid and tolls cost €2.50.

The video registration system only works on the M50 but there is no monthly account management or registration fee. This system is again not suitable for tourists or car rental customers.

Option 3: Post Payment

The third option is to post pay by 8pm the following day after using the toll bridge. The toll for post paying is €3. There are several options for post paying a toll:

- Pay Online
- Payzone Outlets
- Phone Payment

If a toll is not paid by 8pm the following day, a fine or penalty will be issued. If the toll has not been paid by 8pm the following day, a penalty or fine of €3 is added to the existing toll. If the toll and fine / penalty is not paid within 14 days an additional €40 will be added to the fines. Failure to pay the full amount due within a further 56 days will lead to an additional €100 penalty with legal proceedings to follow for non payment

Pay Online
Both tolls and fines can be paid online at eflow.ie. To pay the toll or fine you will need the registration plate of the vehicle used during the passage over the toll bridge.

Payzone Outlets
Payzone outlets are dotted throughout the country but can become sparse as you move further away from the toll bridge. You will need the vehicle registration number and can pay in many garages throughout the country

Phone Payment
The third option for post payment is over the phone. The Locall 1890 50 10 50 can be call from anywhere within Ireland.

Car Rental Customers

Unfortunately the toll bridge provide no additional supports or options to the car rental industry. If you rent a car from one of the many car rental companies in Ireland you will be responsible for the toll yourself. If you do not pay the toll, the car rental company will receive the fine and will charge an administration charge to pay the fines and deal with the matter.

Companies such as Thrifty Car Rental, Atlas Car Hire Ireland and Hertz Rent A Car will provide you with the information you need to pay for the toll in order to avoid fines and administration charges.

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M50 Toll Bridge Disaster Continues

Image by: Merrionsq

There were always going to be teething problems associated with the new barrier free M50 toll bridge system. However, the fact that over one month later the Toll Bridge is down to failing to read 10,000 cars a day can hardly be described as teething problems. Apart from this staggering figure, there are the added nightmares of people being charged and fined for not paying a toll when they have been nowhere near the M50 and the long hold times when you try to ring up to rectify a mistake and fines of €40 being issued before the grace period is up.

“According to the Department of Transport, the failure rate results from the system failing to read tags or misreading them, failures in reading number plates and human error in matching photos of number plates with registered tag holders.” – Irish Times – 1 October 2008

The backup plan for tags which can’t be read while passing through the toll has also failed in many cases, with fines being sent to tag holders. This author is a holder of an EazyPass tag, and I received an email during the week stating:

“If you are a registered customer with EazyPass and you have received an eFlow notice in relation to M50 tolls, eFlow confirms that all of these notices will be canceled and the original toll only (at the tag rate) will be transferred onto your tag account.”

I signed up for an EazyPass tag for the handiness factor and now I have to check my tag for charges on trips I didn’t make. I’m beginning to wonder why I have to do the job of the Toll collector.

Image by: Irish Typepad

A National Roads Authority spokesman stated: “We are eliminating the errors all the time.” He added that, when bedded in, the new electronic tolling system would be “the finest in the world”. Meanwhile Fergus O’Dowd, the Fine Gael transport spokesman gave a more accurate statement on the proceedings when he branded the chaos and failures as “appalling and disgraceful”. Mr O’Dowd said motorists had been warned about minor problems, but “in no way could this be branded as teething troubles”.

The issues associated with fleet management and car hire companies has been addressed in this blog previously. According to the Irish Times (24 September 2008), car hire and fleet companies are dealing with up to 100 fines a day in error. It is very hard for car hire and fleet companies to act as toll collectors if the toll company cannot even complete their basic function. It seems every method of paying the toll is faulty and Merrion Fleet Management have even been fined for tolls that were paid over the phone and had receipts for.

“Dublin-based Merrion Fleet Management said one member of staff is now working full time on attempts to sort out erroneous fines, while up to 12 other executives are spending about one hour a day on the problems.” Irish Times – 24 September 2008

The NRA stated they were aware of the issues and has set up a database for fleet and car hire companies. This is the same database that the car hire companies have opted out of, instead placing the responsibility for paying the fine with the customer.

Colm Brady of Thrifty Car Rental Ireland, which is asking customers to pay the tolls themselves, criticised the NRA for its failure to take on board industry concerns:

Despite the problems associated with tolls for cars that have actually travelled over the bridge, the fines being issued to drivers who never used the bridge are mystifying. Among the complaints are demands and fees for cars which it is claimed are off the road, for cars where the owner was abroad; for double charging; and complaints about the length of time it takes to get through to call centres. The long delays associated with phoning eFlow to sort out misapplied fines have resulted in people giving up and just paying the €40 fine even though they didn’t use the service.

AA Ireland have come out today and said that motorists should not pay fines on trips they have not taken.

“Motorists do not deserve this. The mess is not of their making, and they should not be expected to be the ones to resolve it. It is not reasonable to expect people to queue for ages to get through to a call centre. We are all busy enough. The NRA needs to put its house in order.”

Related Stories
- eFlow – barrier-free tolling solution for the M50
- eFlow – are they for real?
- M50 tolling system misreads details of 10,000 cars a day
- Motorists urged not to pay incorrect toll bills

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The Ultimate Car Rental Resource for Ireland

Similar to an earlier post I did (The Ultimate Travel Resource for Ireland), I am going to gather a selection of resources useful for people renting a car in Ireland and touring around Ireland.

Car Rental Companies in Ireland

- Thrifty Car Rental Ireland
- Atlas Car Hire Ireland
- Hertz Rent a Car
- Avis Rent a Car
- Enterprise Rent a Car Ireland

Industry Organisations

- Car Rental Council of Ireland

Driving in Ireland

- AA Roadwatch
- Toll Roads in Ireland
- Easy Pass – M50 Toll Payment System
- Pumps.ie – Petrol Station Information
- Rules of the Road
- Penalty Points

International Airports in Ireland

- Dublin Airport
- Cork Airport
- Shannon Airport
- Knock Airport

Accommodation in Ireland

- Irish Accommodation Guide

General Information

- General Irish Forum
- Lonely Planet Thorn Tree Forum
- Trip Adviser
- Wikitravel
- Wikipedia

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Cork Airport – Vital Information

Cork Airport is Ireland’s second largest airport. It is located near the center of Cork City, just off Kinsale Road. Cork Airport began its operations in 1961. More recently, the airport opened its new terminal with state-of-the-art features. Cork Airport services more than 3 million passengers every year to various destinations all over the globe with Ryanair, Aer Arann and Aer Lingus being the principal carriers.

From Cork Airport you can travel to Cork City by several means, buses (Skylink and Bus Eireann), train and taxis which are available outside the main terminal and cost around €15 for the journey. Counters for different car hire companies are also available in the Arrivals area with operators such as Avis, Budget, Hertz, Thrifty and Atlas Car Hire Ireland.com. If you are planning to rent a car, you may find it cheaper and more convenient to book ahead of time rather than arranging it at the airport.

Both short-term and long-term parking facilities are available near the airport, with more than 4,600 parking spaces that can be used. For those with disabilities, an easy access parking area located on the first floor is available. If you should require any help, contact the assistance providers of the airport.

Right across the terminal of the airport, connected by a covered walkway, is the Cork International Airport Hotel. The hotel has more than 150 rooms, with a spa, a hair salon and a lounge facility that is perfect for the weary traveler. Another hotel that lies within the complex is the Radisson SAS Hotel. The hotel’s Riverstix Restaurant and Bar serves simply delightful dishes.

The information counter of the Cork Airport is located in the Arrivals Hall, beside Londis . Meanwhile, the check-in area can be found in the Departures area of the new building.

Before reaching the terminal, several security checks will have to be passed through. Remove sharp objects, such as scissors, knives, razors, and even knitting needles, from your hand luggage; otherwise, these items will be confiscated. The European Union also limited the amount of liquid that can be brought into the airport; anything beyond 100 ml will be confiscated. Laptops should also be opened and the keyboard revealed before it can be brought inside the building. Only one piece of hand luggage is permitted per person.

Because of the opening of the new terminal in Cork Airport, there was also an increase in the number of shops and restaurants available in the airport. Popular dining places in the airport include Subway, Sports Bar and Starbucks. There is also a food court, Cork’s Food Market. Meanwhile, shops include Hughes and Hughes Bookshop and Londis. The Travel Value Store carries both local and high-end international brands.

Near the Departures area is the Jack Lynch Departure Lounge. For a cost of €25, you can relax at the lounge for 3 hours while waiting for your flight. The lounge also has a meeting room for four people.

Inside the Cork Airport and beside the bookstore is a Bank of Ireland, which is open during the weekdays. Bureau de Change is located beside it. There are also two ATMs there, one of which dispenses currency in both Sterling and Euro. A Tax Refunds Office, which is open during weekdays, can also be found on the first level, beside Subway.

There are three custom channels at the Cork Airport. The Blue Channel is for those coming from an EU country. The Green Channel is for those on flights coming from non-EU countries without any prohibited goods. Meanwhile, the Red Channel is for those on flights coming from non-EU countries carrying more than what they are allowed or carrying restricted goods.

For more information regarding Cork Airport, visit http://www.corkairport.com/.

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- Cork airport – Ireland’s best?
- Travelling to and within Ireland
- Cork Airport Debt Issue
- New Terminal at Cork Airport

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10 Things to Do in Cork Before You Die

County Cork, specifically Cork City, is one of the most vibrant areas in Ireland, with so much to do and see. Here are 10 of the best things to do in Cork, to make your stay all the more memorable. There are many attractions within Cork City itself, but if you are interested in exploring some of the stunning south coast of Cork, a car rental with Atlas Car Hire Ireland is the way forward.

10 – Walk Around St Patrick’s
Cork City’s main road, St. Patrick Street, is lined with a variety of stores, and has become one of the main shopping areas in the downtown neighborhood. Scattered along the road are street furniture and pedestrian walkways, for those who just want to relax and pass the time away. A prominent figure on the street is the statue of Father Theobald Matthew, which is situated near St. Patrick’s Bridge.

9 – Firtzgerald’s Park
Near the River Lee is Fitzgerald’s Park, an ideal place to stroll around. On the park itself, one will find a café known as the Tea house, and the Georgian house, where the Cork Public Museum lies. The University College York is located at the end of the park by the river. Inside the University is a display of Ogham Stones and the Homan Chapel.

8 – Kiss The Blarney Stone
Blarney Castle, which is located near the River Martin, is home of the famous Blarney Stone. This stone is also known as the Stone of Eloquence, as it allegedly bestows eloquence to those who kiss it.

Aside from the Blarney Stone, the Blarney Castle also has another hidden gem. The Rocklose Gardens surround the castle, and are filled with rock formations. There is also a mansion, known as Blarney House, which is open to all.

7 – St Finbarr’s Cathedral and Shandon Church
On Dean Street lies one of the most popular places of worship in Cork, St. Finnbarr’s Cathedral. Allegedly built where the original Cork settlement was first established, St. Finnbarr’s Cathedral is a testimony to the magnificence of 19th century gothic architecture. The interior is made of marble mosaics, and windows of stained glass show specific scenes from the Bible.

Another must-see for tourists is Shandon Church, which lies on a hill near the river. The Shandon Steeple, along with the Shandon Bells, can be seen from various areas in the city.

6 – Explore Cork City’s Past with a Museum Tour
Near the Shandon Church lies the Cork Butter Museum. In the past, Cork was a center of butter trade. The museum focuses on the history of this trade, and even includes an exhibit showing how butter is made traditionally.

Another place to visit is the Cork City Gaol, which looks like a castle from outside. It has been converted into a museum depicting the gaol’s history.

5 – Gaelic Sports
Gaelic sports, such as Gaelic football and hurling, are played during the summer at the Pairc Ui Chaoimh Stadium, located at Cork’s Marina Walk. Also try out several spectator sports, such as Horse Racing and Greyhound Racing in Curraheen Park.

4 – Markets in Cork
The English Market is the usual source of ingredients of most restaurants in the area. Also check out the Coal Quay Market, especially during Fridays and Saturdays. You’re bound to find a treasure amidst all the home-baked pastries, organic goods, furniture, clothes and even instruments.

3 – Enjoy the Tastes of Cork
Cork has an abundance of restaurants in the area. You can choose from a number of restaurants serving traditional and contemporary Irish cuisine, such as Crawford Gallery Café. Other places, such as Greenes and Jacques, serve international meals. Beamish and Crawford Brewery in South Main St. is another tourist attraction, where visitors are allowed to take a taste test after the tour.

2 – Party On In Cork
There are many things to do in Cork at night. For those who enjoy culture, the Cork Arts Theater and Everyman Palace might have what you want. Some of the more popular bars in Cork include O’ Flaherty’s, Brú Bar and Old Oak. There are also music clubs and dance clubs, such as Half Moon and Club FX.

1 – Enjoy the Festivals
If you’re looking for festivals, then you came to the right place. Local and international artists come to perform in Cork’s Guinness Jazz Festival and the Cork International Choral Festival. For those looking for a taste of culture, plan your trip around the Cork Midsummer Festival or the Cork Arts Festival. Cork’s St. Patrick festivities should also not be missed!

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