Pas delle yeux Rhône qua nous Posted January 27, 2005 Share Posted January 27, 2005 Help! I've just booked our first flight Southampton to Cherbourg with flybe. Our plane arrives 20.10 on Sunday April 3rd. I can't find any car hire firms that operate from the airport on a Sunday..... Does anybody out there have experience of this or know what to do? Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarkkent Posted January 28, 2005 Share Posted January 28, 2005 Have you tried booking a car through FlyBe? They stress their "partnership" with Avis.Alternatively try using a broker like Holiday Autos. They have a website (part of Lastminute.com) and will be rather cheaper than approaching a hire firm directly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John87 Posted January 28, 2005 Share Posted January 28, 2005 We've had this at Limoges on Sundays with Avis - basically I think you'll find the local airport Avis/Hertz/Europcar (whatever) people will always be around when flights come in, even on a Sunday but their websites often just show their normal office hours - therefore when you look on the web/try to book a car via UK, the office seems to be closed and therefore cannot proceed with a booking. The way round it is to contact Avis UK (or firm of your choice) and ask them to send a "request" booking to the local office who then happily ok it.Its worked for us at Limoges so I think worth a shot at Cherbourg as well in your case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pas delle yeux Rhône qua nous Posted February 3, 2005 Author Share Posted February 3, 2005 No luck yet. Phoned Avis who said they would organise a request for a car Sunday evening and get back to me within 72 hours to confirm. Took ages to sort out and then 48 hours later they phone to say they can't do it..... Pretty poor show since Avis are affiliated to Flybe. Now we're flying to Cherbourg, arriving on a Sunday evening and can't hire a car..I think the airport is out in the sticks so we'll have to try and get a taxi to take us to a Formule 1 or similar to stay the night. Makes a bit of a mockery of the whole business of rivalling the ferry companies doesn't it? I shall be on the blower to Flybe tomorrow. It seems bad to me that they set up new routes without ensuring there is adequate infrastructure to go with it. Apparently Avis can't provide a car on a Saturday either. This is going to be a big problem for a lot of people I'd have thought... Anybody else got any bright ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 When in your first post you said you couldn't find a car hire company for Sunday, how did you search ? Have you tried googling Cherbourg airport to see if there are any useful links, or even Pages Jaune, a smaller company may be more helpful ? Apologies if you have already done all that.You are right, these sneaky extra costs take the icing off the cake when it comes to saving money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixietoadstool Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 I found the same problem with car hire when I looked too but I was shocked also by the prices quoted by someone or other - I seem to remember it would be about £350 for 12 days with the smallest crappiest car on offer. What with paying for car-parking at Southampton as well to be able to fly, I think BF win again at least this time until a few other businesses catch on to the opportunity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart79 Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 Hi,Have you tried www.expedia.co.uk. I've just put your arrival date and time in, and they have come back with lots of companies that are open. Hertz and Europcar being two of them. They even tell you if they are located at the airport or outside, or if they meet you at the airport.RegardsStuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJSLIV Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 Expedia certainly shows hertz as being available at Cherbourg Maupertus airport on a sunday. Try booking using the airport code of CER to make sure you get the airport rather than the town location. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarkkent Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 I have cut and pasted below appropriate info from www.holidayautos.com. I asked for pick up at Cherbourg Airport on 3/4/05 at 20.30 returning at 20.00 on 11/3/05. I have no connection with Holiday Autos but have used them on a number of occasions. They are car hire brokers and have contracts and contacts with Herz, Avis, Europcar, Alamo and all the others. Let them do the work - you could always ring them and ask .... All prices are fully inclusive of unlimited mileage, third party insurance, collision damage waiver, theft waiver, airport surcharge, bail bonds (where needed) and all local taxes. car type email mea quote phoneprice(GBP)OnLineprice(GBP)book it Economy 2dr 172.63 140.91 Economy 4dr More sharing options... Adobill<P><FONT face=Arial>Bill <FONT><P><P><FONT face=Arial>Charente Maritime (17) & Northampton<FONT><P> Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 We always use Holiday Autos for our car hire from the airport in France. It is often difficult to book through the website when the opening hours of car hire places at airports aren't "open" but in reality car hire places are normally open when a flight is due in whatever day as the staff seem to turn up just as the plane arrives, sort out their customers, and then leave again. Holiday Autos who have always been happy to help us on the phone - if you explain the situation they will (normally) book it over the phone at the same rate as the web price for the same period of hire. Hope this helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Pas delle yeux Rhône qua nous Posted February 9, 2005 Author Share Posted February 9, 2005 Still struggling to find anyone to service Cherbourg airport on a Sunday, I receive a phone call from Flybe telling me that the Southampton Cherbourg route is to be disbanded an 11th April because of something to do with the airport not sticking with some deal or other..... Now we can't fly on the Sunday anyway.... Bad news about the new route dying in its infancy...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... GRT17 Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 Bad news indeed about the new Cherbourg route being pulled before it has got started, I seem to remember a similar problem last year with their Southampton / Limoges service. I do hope you manage to find another option.Bon courageGillUpdate:10/02/05I have just checked the Flybe website and they are still showing flights to Cherbourg on Mon. Wed. Fri. until April 11th. So it is just the Sunday service that's being pulled or will the whole operation cease when they change to the Summer schedule? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Archived This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies. Go to topic listing All Activity Home Forums Travelling to/from France Travelling to/from France Car Hire Cherbourg Airport on Sundays × Existing user? Sign In Sign Up Complete France Browse Back Forums Events Online Users Leaderboard Activity Back All Activity Search × Create New...
Adobill<P><FONT face=Arial>Bill <FONT><P><P><FONT face=Arial>Charente Maritime (17) & Northampton<FONT><P> Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 We always use Holiday Autos for our car hire from the airport in France. It is often difficult to book through the website when the opening hours of car hire places at airports aren't "open" but in reality car hire places are normally open when a flight is due in whatever day as the staff seem to turn up just as the plane arrives, sort out their customers, and then leave again. Holiday Autos who have always been happy to help us on the phone - if you explain the situation they will (normally) book it over the phone at the same rate as the web price for the same period of hire. Hope this helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pas delle yeux Rhône qua nous Posted February 9, 2005 Author Share Posted February 9, 2005 Still struggling to find anyone to service Cherbourg airport on a Sunday, I receive a phone call from Flybe telling me that the Southampton Cherbourg route is to be disbanded an 11th April because of something to do with the airport not sticking with some deal or other..... Now we can't fly on the Sunday anyway.... Bad news about the new route dying in its infancy...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GRT17 Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 Bad news indeed about the new Cherbourg route being pulled before it has got started, I seem to remember a similar problem last year with their Southampton / Limoges service. I do hope you manage to find another option.Bon courageGillUpdate:10/02/05I have just checked the Flybe website and they are still showing flights to Cherbourg on Mon. Wed. Fri. until April 11th. So it is just the Sunday service that's being pulled or will the whole operation cease when they change to the Summer schedule? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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