Absolutely. That context makes the experience significantly more frustrating because you were already dealing with an exhausting travel situation. I’d include it without making it sound overly dramatic: This was our first time renting from this company, and we specifically chose them because a family member had recommended them. Unfortunately, our experience at the Honolulu Airport location was horrible. We reserved and paid for a toddler car seat with our rental. When we arrived, we were initially told that there was no car seat on our reservation. After showing the employee our confirmation proving that we had reserved one, we were then told that someone must have taken our car seat. We asked whether another car seat was available and were told they would get one for us. From that point, we were strung along for over an hour. We were repeatedly told it would only be a few more minutes, but no one ever brought us a car seat or gave us a clear answer about what was happening. What made this experience even more difficult was the circumstances we were already dealing with. We had just come from Kauai after experiencing a hurricane and being without power for several days. We were exhausted, traveling with our three young children, and simply trying to get safely to our next destination. We had specifically reserved a toddler car seat ahead of time because we needed to know that safe transportation would be available for our family when we arrived in Honolulu. Instead, after everything we had already been through, we spent more than an hour at the airport waiting for something we had reserved and paid for, only to ultimately leave without a rental car at all. When it became clear that they could not provide the car seat, we decided we needed to cancel the rental. We were then told that the employees at the location could not cancel our reservation and that we would have to call customer service ourselves. Despite the fact that they were unable to provide what we had reserved, they still attempted to charge us for the rental. Trying to cancel and receive a refund was just as frustrating. I was sent in circles and repeatedly connected to the local Honolulu Hertz phone number, where no one answered. At no point did I feel like anyone cared about the situation, took responsibility, or made a meaningful effort to make it right. What was most disappointing was the complete lack of concern or urgency from the people we dealt with. We understood that mistakes can happen and that equipment can become unavailable, but the way the situation was handled was unacceptable. Rather than being upfront with us, finding a solution, or taking responsibility for being unable to fulfill our reservation, we were repeatedly told to keep waiting and then left to deal with the cancellation and refund ourselves. It was an incredibly disappointing first experience, especially after choosing this company based on a family member's recommendation. After an already exhausting few days for our family, this was the last thing we needed. Based on the way this situation was handled, I would not rent from them again and would not recommend them to others.
