For anyone travelling to Fort Lauderdale ...

[Drino]

Our experience not a ideal one that's for sure arrived saturday.

Flight landed 15mins early -superb!
We went through immigration where all the family have to input passport and finger prints and accept declerations etc; Took a little while 7-8 mins as pictures also...upon leaving that area you again que for immigration officer to do same again,photos and finger prints both hands?
Bizarre doing it twice?

Then the fun began... pouring with rain i mean bad,walked down to car hire shuttle,lots people there. Where the sign said rental car shuttle lots people standing there and low and behold the bus stopped 40 ft away as car were blocking the entrance,so what happened is lots of people running across to try and get on bus...we stayed put,missed another bus in doing so so decided to do what everyone else was and go there...dur what next bus drove to where we had just left :angry: and i missed that one...the next bus i seen i actually stopped it myself by gesturing to driver that i was wet through and had missed 3 buses... he opened door for me and the family and we eventually got the bus to rental area..

Even more fun now,all i have heard prior to going is Avis preffered go staright to garage booth,so i did,5 mins and no Avis guy even looking at me,very rude. Eventually one did and he said to me no go back to prefferred desk in airport which i had walked past 10 mins earlier,seriously?

Joined Back yes BACK of preffered que and he gave me my ticket after 15 min wait,ticket Yes had charges on it which i asked to be removed,he did with still $30 left on it and low and behold his comment, ' yes sir i have no idead what that is'...er ok i do you robbing gits...

Contacted BA via email and they have responed and removed all charges...

Good luck to all going to Fort lauderdale ha ha

[fredflintstone]

Originally Posted by Drino

Our experience not a ideal one that's for sure arrived saturday.

Flight landed 15mins early -superb!
Wwent through immigration where all the family have to input passport and finger prints and accept declerations etc; Took a little while 7-8 mins as pictures also...upon leaving that area you again que for immigration officer to do same again,photos and finger prints both hands?
Bizarre doing it twice?

Then the fun began... pouring with rain i mean bad,walked down to car hire shuttle,lots people there. Where the sign said rental car shuttle lots people standing there and low and behold the bus stopped 40 ft away as car were blocking the entrance,so what happened is lots of people running across to try and get on bus...we stayed put,missed another bus in doing so so decided to do what everyone else was and go there...dur what next bus drove to where we had just left :angry: and i missed that one...the next bus i seen i actually stopped it myself by gesturing to driver that i was wet through and had missed 3 buses... he opened door for me and the family and we eventually got the bus to rental area..

Even more fun now,all i have heard prior to going is Avis preffered go staright to garage booth,so i did,5 mins and no Avis guy even looking at me,very rude. Eventually one did and he said to me no go back to prefferred desk in airport which i had walked past 10 mins earlier,seriously?

Joined Back yes BACK of preffered que and he gave me my ticket after 15 min wait,ticket Yes had charges on it which i asked to be removed,he did with still $30 left on it and low and behold his comment, ' yes sir i have no idead what that is'...er ok i do you robbing gits...

Contacted BA via email and they have responed and removed all charges...

Good luck to all going to Fort lauderdale ha ha

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Ouch. Yes that bus bit is real pain. I dropped everyone off at departures and then took the car back on my own because of that (and it was raining on our return).

DOn't forget to bring it back full it is so easy to come off the turnpike or 95 and forget that it needs to be returned full. Happened to one of our party on the return and it was silly money for them to fill it up but he had no choice due to flight.

[Drino]

Ye paid up front $29 for tank fuel so will be going back empty..I may do same drop then off not sure

[duchy]

Originally Posted by Drino

Our experience not a ideal one that's for sure arrived saturday.



Good luck to all going to Fort lauderdale ha ha

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Seriously you took time out of your Florida holiday to post "good luck to all flying to Fort Lauderdale ha ha " ?

Avis preferred the first time you use it you have to use the counter, immigration still sounds a lot easier than MCO, not much anyone can do about Florida rain , but it helps if you stand at the correct pick up point.
As for the extras schnanigans, all the hire companies are as bad as each other, everyone should check carefully at point of return as well as collection.

Nothing you've mentioned is making me regret booking BA to Fort Lauderdale ... (we knew about the off airport location already). Hope your holiday starts to improve soon "hah hah"

[Mr Tom Morrow]

OP. Good post and will help others using this route, well done.
Strange about Immigration, never heard of that double system before, weird!
I would have been bouncing about the bus issue and I'm not surpryyou weren't happy.
Enjoy your holiday now and watch out for those extra charges in the weeks/months ahead.

[fredflintstone]

Originally Posted by Mr Tom Morrow

OP. Good post and will help others using this route, well done.
Strange about Immigration, never heard of that double system before, weird!
I would have been bouncing about the bus issue and I'm not surpryyou weren't happy.
Enjoy your holiday now and watch out for those extra charges in the weeks/months ahead.

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It was the same in August. Machines to do finger prints photo customs etc all ok (First time ever I've not got an X when using them) Thought it will be nice and quick now but then we all queued and got finger prints photo etc done as per normal if not using the machines. Having said that we were through it all in 10-15 mins but we were at front of economy. Not sure why it is not like MCO where you just have a quick check after using the machines. The machines are used by everyone even if not been before so I assume they are some form of pre-immigration check.

[fredflintstone]

Originally Posted by Drino

Ye paid up front $29 for tank fuel so will be going back empty..I may do same drop then off not sure

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Smart move as it is motorway the whole way and a pain if you need to come off to refuel. I assume the $30 overcharge you were talking about was in addition to the $29. I think he was charged almost $10 a gallon and with a Ford expedition almost on empty he was not a happy bunny but put it down to experience. One of the problems of following 2 alamo cars via DFCH on bring back empty in convoy . Although I did feel a bit guilty afterwards because I should have remembered AVIS is bring back full by default and should have called in somewhere for him following.
HAve a great hols.

[Drino]

Thx for all replies,yes have come down from my boiling point...spent the day in memphis after taking 2 flights from west palm beach...what a place, love it gracelands love it..

[duchy]

Glad it's out of your system
I work on the theory that every holiday hits a bump at some point. You've got yours out of the way early !
Enjoy Memphis (and please do a trippie)

[Drino]

Yes will do,it was superb... thank you very much!