One of the main reasons we chose Drivalia was because you advertised that we could pick up directly from the airport. That turned out to be completely misleading.When we arrived at Manchester Airport, we spent nearly an hour trying to reach the number provided. To make matters worse, you don’t even use WhatsApp—a basic communication tool used by nearly every other car hire company. When we finally managed to contact your Manchester office, we were told to wait another 15 minutes for pickup. This was at 9:30pm, after a 23-hour flight.When we arrived at your office, things went from bad to worse. I was told that a physical credit card was required to process the bond. Like many travellers, I only carry a digital card on my phone. Because I was the only person listed on the booking, your outdated system wouldn’t allow my partner to use her card. Nor could your staff amend the booking to add her name. We were left stranded.Even though your salesperson did what they could, we had no choice but to pay an extra £800 just to secure a car—triple what we had budgeted (£1,200 instead of £400). It’s hard not to feel that your company takes advantage of travellers in vulnerable situations. In this day and age, it’s unacceptable that a global business still insists on physical cards and refuses to adapt. Your systems are antiquated, your advertising is misleading, and your practices border on dishonest.To make matters worse, when we returned the car at your Heathrow office, there was no courtesy transport to the airport—something every reputable rental company provides. We had to organise our own Uber and pay another £40 out of pocket.Overall, the experience was incredibly disappointing from start to finish, and I’ll be making sure other travellers are aware of how your company operates.We left a review on their management system but are yet to receive a response. DO NOT USE DRIVALIA
Claim your business profile now and gain access to all features and respond to customer reviews.
