Klass Wagen Portugal
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Bad car hire experience
When I booked the car, I was aware that there would be a shuttle to take us to the car hire premises, but it wasn’t clear how that process actually worked. Upon arriving at the airport, we encountered some confusion while waiting for the shuttle, with no clear order or guidance on who should board first. Even so, we accepted the situation and proceeded with the journey. During the online booking process, I opted for the Fast Check-in and paid in advance for both the insurance and the Via Verde toll deposit. My understanding was that, upon arrival, the process would be quick and straightforward — we would simply collect the keys and be on our way. However, that was not the case. When we arrived at the premises, there was no explanation about the procedure. We were left unsure of what to do next. Seeing that there was a ticketing system, I asked a staff member whether, having used the Fast Check-in, we still needed to take a ticket. The reply was rushed and dismissive: “you still have to take one”. This was already around 10:30pm. We took a ticket and waited for about an hour. When it finally seemed to be our turn, one of the available staff members chose not to serve us and instead decided to leave the last two clients — ourselves included — waiting for his colleague, who was still handling another rental. He even said: “since there are only two clients left, I thought you could take care of them.” The colleague replied briefly, turned his back on him, and walked outside. Only after that did the first staff member, somewhat reluctantly, attend to us. After we had already waited for an hour, the staff member began by explaining in general terms how the insurance and the Via Verde deposit worked, without even properly checking the details of my booking. When I informed him that I had already paid everything online, including the insurance and deposit, he finally checked the system and said: “Oh, in that case, it was just a matter of collecting the keys and the car. You didn’t need to wait an hour.” I reminded him that I had asked upon arrival whether we needed to wait despite having used the Fast Check-in, and I was clearly misinformed. His justification was that sometimes customers complete the Fast Check-in but choose to pay only when they collect the car — which, in my view, highlights a serious flaw in the process. If some customers finalise payment online and others don’t, that distinction should be clearly flagged in the system and reflected in the customer service. Otherwise, the Fast Check-in option loses its entire purpose. We even asked the staff member whether the return process would be just as time-consuming, and he said it was possible. He later apologised and went to fetch the car, saying it was an upgrade from the model I had originally booked. For me, that didn’t matter — I just wanted a reliable vehicle to travel and fulfil my commitments. We finally left around midnight, feeling quite exhausted. Fortunately, the return experience was much better, with professional and efficient service. I hope this feedback helps to improve your service, especially in terms of communication with customers and the consistency of internal processes. A Fast Check-in that has been paid and confirmed online should guarantee a quick service, without long waits or confusion upon arrival.
