Very disappointed with my car rental…
Very disappointed with my car rental experience through Trip.com in Madrid. Our first booking was with Enterprise at Madrid Airport. Upon arrival, we were informed that our boarding pass had to be from the same date as the vehicle pickup. We had arrived in Madrid just after midnight the night before and provided proof of our arrival, but no flexibility, assistance, or alternative solution was offered despite having a confirmed reservation. As we were travelling with a large group and urgently needed transportation, we searched for another available vehicle through Trip.com and made a second booking at another Enterprise branch in the city. The booking was accepted and confirmed. However, when we arrived at the branch, we were simply told that no vehicle was available. The most frustrating part was the complete lack of assistance. The staff did not try to help, provide alternatives, or even properly assess our situation. Trip.com Customer Service also attempted to contact the branch several times during the incident but was unable to reach anyone. Because it was a public holiday in Spain, suitable large vehicles were extremely difficult to find at short notice. As a result, we were forced to arrange alternative transportation and shuttle services to avoid disrupting our travel plans. This caused significant inconvenience and resulted in additional expenses amounting to several thousand ringgit. What makes this experience even more disappointing is that we only proceeded with the second booking after confirming that debit cards were accepted by the rental provider. This information was clearly stated on the provider’s website and was also verified before we made the reservation. The driver had a valid debit card under his own name, which complied with the stated requirements. However, when we arrived, the staff did not even review our documents, payment cards, driving licence, or IDP before informing us that no vehicle was available. Despite this, both the rental provider and Trip.com continued to focus on the credit card requirement when handling our complaint, rather than addressing the actual issue that the booked vehicle was simply unavailable. As a repeat customer of Trip.com, I find this response unacceptable. The issue was not that we failed to meet the rental requirements; the issue was that the vehicle we had successfully booked and paid for was not provided. Instead of acknowledging this, responsibility was shifted to the customer while the supplier’s failure to fulfil the reservation was largely ignored. After all the inconvenience, disruption to our travel plans, stress, and additional expenses incurred, the only compensation offered was 3,000 Trip Coins (approximately USD30). This does not come close to reflecting the actual losses we suffered or the poor experience we endured. I have used Trip.com many times before and have generally had positive experiences. Unfortunately, this case was handled very poorly. I hope Trip.com improves its supplier management, customer support, and complaint resolution process so that other travellers do not experience the same frustration.