18/09/2013 00:00
TW
0

Dear Sir,
It does not surprise me in the least to hear that the Hire Car Companies have seen a down turn in their business this year. The travel forums and local bars are alive with story after story of tourists being ripped off with overpriced fuel, expensive insurance (even when comprehensive insurance has been paid for) and large credit card deposits. Many people are having to queue for up to two hours at the hire desks or are bused off the airport only to find themselves being pressured with a ‘take it or leave it’ situation.
There have been many situations of drivers being blamed for minor scratches and loosing deposits, sometimes as high as €600. Only today on Trip Advisor is an account by a tourist of being charged €120 for a tank of petrol and €12 per day top up insurance. They were only over for three days and took the car back three quarters full. Obviously, no rebate. They will not be coming back to Majorca.
Regular travellers know who these hire car sharks are and their ‘sharp practices’ and avoid them by using the honest companies who are becoming fewer and fewer, only for first time visitors to get caught. Rather ironic then that today’s Daily Bulletin headline is ‘Big Drop In Winter Flights’. This doesn’t surprise me one bit as most winter visitors tend to be independent travellers, the very people that would hire a car. The situation is a disgrace and there should be a legally binding code of practice to curb these rip-offs.
Yours sincerely
Stephen Cliff
Cala d’Or

Dear Sir,
John Little (who I know very well) has emphasised the same arguments that I put forward to you at this time last year, in which I publicised the golf holidays, he and his partner, organise so efficiently, both summer and winter. But, he went a great deal further with his plea for the local tourist authorities to promote the Balearics, by launching TV and other media presentations, for a forceful campaign. There is nothing like the ‘oxygen of publicity’ to enliven the public, and put bottoms on seats-preferably Airline ones! And to sell those seats, the operators should make efforts to LOWER PRICES or special offers as encouragement.
Best of luck, John!
Yours sincerely,
Phil Green, El Toro