Kauai -- any problem with car agencies being closed at 10PM?

[Cathyb]

Tuggers: Have any of you had problems with your plane arriving close to 10PM and finding your car agency is closed?

If any of you are flying this week to Kauai, please write your experience with this issue. We will be arriving 'late' on December 23 next year and usually use Priceline -- but now I'm not sure that will be a good idea -- based on the closeness to Christmas.

Also, have you had any experience trying to get a cab at that hour at the airport?

Yes, I am a worry wort

 

[DeniseM]

Cathy - I don't think using Priceline will make any difference. The rental reservation system is designed to take into consideration the hours each agency is open. Once you have a rental reservation, you call call their office in Hawaii directly and confirm that they have your reservation and will be open.

Why such a late flight from the West Coast? You don't have your tickets, yet, do you?

Where are you staying the first night?

 

[Cathyb]

Denise...

Cathy - I don't think using Priceline will make any difference. The rental reservation system is designed to take into consideration the hours each agency is open. Once you have a rental reservation, you call call their office in Hawaii directly and confirm that they have your reservation and will be open.

Why such a late flight from the West Coast? You don't have your tickets, yet, do you?

LAX/LIH --the only American Airlines (ffmiles) non-stop leaves LAX at 6:05PM and arrives LIH at 8:55PM but by the time we pick up our luggage it will be close to 9:45-10pm. Can't get tickets until January but that is what the schedules are showing. Everything else flies into Oahu.

Where are you staying the first night?

Denise: LAX/LIH --the only American Airlines (ffmiles) non-stop leaves LAX at 6:05PM and arrives LIH at 8:55PM but by the time we pick up our luggage it will be close to 9:45-10pm. Can't get tickets until January but that is what the schedules are showing. Everything else flies into Oahu.

Have hotel reservations at Aston Aloha Beach Hotel in Kapaa at $89 plus tax for one night. Debating if I want to spend/waste Marriott points or try to get a Worldmark but I don't do good on last minute planning . Still plan to contact Pono Kai -- but felt it would be better to wait until after the holidays with them.

Has your daughter made it home yet? That was quite a challenge for her and I read the SF newspaper article too. We are drowning here in San Diego County. The trains have even ceased operations here due to flooding.

 

[Cathyb]

Denise: Question

Cathy - I don't think using Priceline will make any difference. The rental reservation system is designed to take into consideration the hours each agency is open. Once you have a rental reservation, you call call their office in Hawaii directly and confirm that they have your reservation and will be open.

Why such a late flight from the West Coast? You don't have your tickets, yet, do you?

Where are you staying the first night?

Re Priceline --if I make/get a bid and then call the car rental agency with my reservation -- I don't have the ability to 'change' the reservation at that time -- do I?? (if they don't stay open late --like maybe Enterprise); remember it will be 12/23 just before Christmas and they do have families too..... And I don't have a choice of who Priceline gives me. Just curious what you think

 

[DeniseM]

Hi Cathy - Priceline won't give you a rental company that's closed, unless there is a big boo boo and then Priceline should take care of it. You are right that you can't just change your mind, but they will be responsible if they make an error.

When we fly to Hawaii, we take a morning flight from the West Coast, (9:00 am) have a 1.5 hour layover at Honolulu, and are at our TS on Kauai by 3:00 - wouldn't that be better than getting in late?

DD was going the other way - she flew from SFO to London on Fri. Sat. night she got on a train and went to a friend's house in Cambridge, and then took the train to Edinburgh on Sun. She spent 8 hours on a train with no seat, but she made it safe and sound! (And she's with her honey!)

 

[BevL]

We had an experience where our flight from Maui was delayed from approximately an 8:00 p.m. arrival to a 2:00 a.m. arrival. We did call ahead but were assured that the rental agency would stay open - I guess otherwise it's a planeload of people with no place to go!!

 

[gejone]

I've had a couple of flights that arrived after the posted rental car closing time and it never was an issue. The airlines or airport authority advises them a flight will be late and the companies stay open until the flight arrives. My latest was a 12:30 am arrival and the rental counters were to close at 10:00 pm. They were all open and maintained their Aloha spirit.

Relax, it will all work out.

 

[Cathyb]

Gary

I've had a couple of flights that arrived after the posted rental car closing time and it never was an issue. The airlines or airport authority advises them a flight will be late and the companies stay open until the flight arrives. My latest was a 12:30 am arrival and the rental counters were to close at 10:00 pm. They were all open and maintained their Aloha spirit.

Relax, it will all work out.

:whoopie: Thank you -- I can quit worrying about that now!