Terrible Experience at Athens, Greece Location
We rented at the Athens airport location.
While the shuttle driver was courteous and professional, the overall experience with this rental company was the worst I have ever had. From the moment we arrived, the woman who handled our check-in was rude, unwelcoming, and aggressive. She immediately began pressuring us to purchase the company's insurance, despite our booking already including full coverage. When we declined, she warned us (threateningly) that if the car had even "a mosquito" on it, we would be held responsible. This was clearly meant to scare us into buying additional insurance and not a legitimate explanation of rental terms.
She remained confrontational throughout the check-in process and even claimed we were not allowed to place our luggage in the back seat (a rule I’ve never encountered with any rental company and which she made no effort to justify). We drove the car carefully and returned it in excellent condition. Understandably, the car had a few bugs on the windshield and some dust on the wheels, which is completely normal after driving on an unpaved road to their location.
Upon return, she walked around the car with exaggerated concern, taking photos of superficial dirt and bug splatter. She stated she would need to call her manager to see if the car could be accepted. When I pointed out that renters are not required to wash a car before returning it, she began shouting "not my problem, not my problem" repeatedly, referencing her earlier "mosquito" comment. This was misleading and manipulative. That comment had been made earlier in the context of trying to pressure us into buying additional insurance, not as an explanation of any cleaning requirement or policy. At no point during check-in were we informed of a cleaning standard or fee.
She called her manager and began speaking in Greek, presumably to prevent us from understanding the conversation. Based on her tone and defensiveness (and saying "I was very clear" before switching to Greek), it appeared her manager may have disagreed with her stance. She finally told us there would be a €25 cleaning fee. I agreed to pay it to resolve the issue. Then she abruptly added that an additional interior inspection would be conducted and we would be charged for anything they found wrong. I should have pushed back on this (especially since she had already completed the return inspection) but I was stunned and tired from the whole experience and just wanted it to end. Her tone throughout was unnecessarily harsh and disrespectful, especially considering the vehicle was returned in excellent condition.
Even her colleague, who was polite and professional, seemed uncomfortable with her behavior. I left feeling that we had been treated unfairly, and I would not be surprised if further (unjustified) charges were attempted. Thankfully, we documented the car's condition thoroughly and have insurance, but this kind of treatment is unacceptable.
In summary, the vehicle itself was fine, but the customer service, especially at check-in and return, was completely unprofessional. I would strongly advise others to avoid this company.
3. juni 2025
Uopfordret anmeldelse