just got e/m from american car rental saying the airport will no longer allow off site companies to pick up their customers at the terminal. you must take cab($10-15) to off site office, pick up car and then go back to terminal to pick up any others traveling with you. from being the easiest airport to pick up rental car in all our travels, to now the biggest pain. one more hassle in a long day of travel.

john, maybe you want to take a cab to the hotel/timeshare and then have them come to you. it could cut down your time for a few dollars more.

and my opinion is that it is disgusting that this is happening to both the rental companies and the tourists. looks like the twelve airport companies will be making big bucks soon after eliminating the small guys. that really ticks me off.

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Yeah! That really ticks me off as well, but can you imagine owning the off site companies- they must really be PO'd.

I have previously seen on this BB the taxi rates from/to the airport, but perhaps now it would be appropriate to repost them. Some taxi drivers are charging for luggage and more than they should for a trip to the high rise hotels.

Can our expert moderators and senior BB members weigh in on this?

Thanks,

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John L

I can't understand why the government continues to make things difficult for the people they rely on for their income? Seems like at some point these stupid decisions are going to bite them in the butt..........

There are too many other places people can go to spend their vacation dollars. When will the Aruban government wake up and stop all that is happening to make their island less desirable? I hope they don't wait too long.

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I will not sit on the porch and watch life go by without participating!

When we were in Aruba in November heard that something like this was coming. Agree that this is a slap in the face to the off site rental car companies and more so to the tourists. I think a boycott of the Airport Rental Car companies is in order. As Sherry said, take the cab to your hotel and let the rental car company deliver to you.

It seems only the consumer will be able to level the playing field. Many of the offsite rental companies have given excellent service for many years and deserve a chance to do business.

Talking to a new arrival yesterday. The car he ordered and had confirmation for, was not available. Two others were sold out and a third raised their price.

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"El Muchacho De Eagle Beach"
Eagle-Beach Boy
Ontario, Canada

What agency left him hanging?

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I will not sit on the porch and watch life go by without participating!

Sorry do not remember.

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"El Muchacho De Eagle Beach"
Eagle-Beach Boy
Ontario, Canada

Here's the problem. Family of 5 arrives at airport. They have saved all year long (or all their life) to go to Aruba. First or second time trip. They now decide they want a rental or they had one confirmed. They go to the rental strip offices at the airport (they can't find their way off site because there is no one to help them anymore) only to learn that a small economy car is going to cost them $200 plus 12% plus 3% plus the outrageous insurance (sure to become mandatory next). Or they find out there is no car for them(which has happened to me). Same economy car costs $79 in US for the week.

So their very first experience in Aruba besides slow customs are these rental rakers or the taxi's which are starting to charge too much- charge more for luggage ( and what is the definition of luggage?) and other add ons. Great first impressions.

What happened to One Happy Island, can I help you, and $10-$15 flat fee cab rates?

I know, I know- they should have done their research; they should have joined the BB and asked. But remember when you didn't have to? It wasn't that long ago.

Thanks for listening,

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John L

john, although that is worst case scenario, i can picture it happening. that is very upsetting to me. there are certain things that separate aruba from other islands and make it the place we all love. i think if this rental problem continues along with taxi gouging, people are going to get turned off to aruba. there are many places that are cheaper than aruba to travel to and tourist dollars are more limited than before.

let's just hope it's a phase caused by the recession and that the minister of tourism, ATA and AHATA will screw their collective heads back on before those limited tourist dollars are forced to go elsewhere.

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i tradede e/m's with akash at american rental today and he says that no off site companies can p/u their customers. we are just going to take a cab to quality apts and they will deliver there. we're going to be there 5 weeks so who cares-as long as they don't run out of balashi

I agree, Sherry! We were always willing to spend a little more to go to Aruba, but in our current economic condition in our country, not many people are going to do this. We are going because of our timeshare.

My trip to the DR last year was fantastic and a shorter plane trip. Is it possible the Aruban authorities are gouging timeshare owners, counting on us to return every year?

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corrine, i don't know. it is a great question.

i think that it is possible the aruban authorities are just not using their heads. i don't think it is intentional gouging. they know they have a wonderful island. even at it's worst it is as good or better than anywhere else i have ever been. the problem i think is that they haven't looked into the future that is actually starting to happen now. the economy sucks throughout the world. it is going to get worse before it gets better. any of us who are lucky enough to get a vacation need to do it on a budget that is much lower than before. i think that aruba hasn't yet learned that old proverb that half a loaf is better than none. they are still looking at csi miami and hoping for south beach. in this economy, the best bang for the buck is going to be what survives the economic crisis.

__________________
help us help aruba's kittens and cats

http://www.arubakitten.org/



vote now!!!!

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/N...uba/index.html