Q. I recently booked a Hertz rental car through Expedia for pickup at Fargo Airport. The reservation clearly stated that I could cancel at any time before pickup without a penalty. Three days before my rental, I canceled the reservation through Expedia and received an email confirming my cancellation without a cancellation fee.
Imagine my surprise when, a week later, Hertz charged me a $52 no-show fee. I contacted Expedia, and a representative told me that my reservation did not include a cancellation fee.
But then the responses got confusing. One Expedia agent claimed that there was a cancellation fee in my reservation (which I know isn’t true). Another told me to deal with Hertz directly, and yet another said that Hertz had agreed to refund me, but the refund never arrived. At one point, Expedia even issued a refund to my credit card, only to reverse it and say that it was a mistake.
I’ve followed all the advice from your columns, including appealing to the executive contacts who are listed on your site. The only replies I got were generic and didn’t answer my specific questions. I asked Expedia to provide written proof that my cancellation was sent to Hertz before the pickup time so that I could appeal to Hertz directly, but they never provided it.
I even visited the Hertz counter at Fargo Airport, but the manager never got back to me. The staff there said that it looked like Expedia didn’t send the cancellation in time. How can I get my $52 back?
TODD BRUESHOFF, Chicago
A. Let’s get one thing straight: When you book a rental car through an online travel agency like Expedia, it’s the online travel agency’s job to make sure that your cancellation goes through and that you’re not penalized for following the rules. Expedia should have promptly processed your cancellation, confirmed it with Hertz, and provided you with written proof that the cancellation was received by Hertz before your scheduled pickup time.
If your reservation terms allow for a free cancellation, and you cancel within the allowed window, you should not pay a no-show fee. If Expedia failed to transmit your cancellation to Hertz in time, this is on Expedia — not you.
I reviewed your correspondence with Hertz and Expedia, and it looks like you did this by the book. You canceled in advance, kept all the documentation, and escalated your case through the proper channels, even appealing to executive contacts. I publish the names, numbers, and email addresses for the higher-ups at Expedia and Hertz on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org.
You maintained a detailed paper trail, which is exactly what I recommend. If this happens to anyone else, I’d add: Always double-check that you receive a cancellation confirmation email, and if possible, contact the rental agency directly to confirm receipt — especially if you’re close to the cancellation deadline.
You did everything right, and you even went the extra mile by visiting the Hertz counter at Fargo Airport. The staff there suspected that Expedia didn’t send the cancellation in time, which explains why Hertz saw you as a no-show. Expedia, meanwhile, bounced you between departments, issued and then reversed a refund, and failed to provide the documentation that you needed to resolve the issue with Hertz.
It turns out there was more to this story. After Expedia issued a credit and then withdrew it, you filed a credit card dispute, which you lost. Once your bank sides with a merchant, you only have two realistic options: an outside advocate or a trip to small claims court. You chose me, and I contacted Expedia on your behalf. Expedia issued a full refund of your $52 no-show fee.
Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy (elliottadvocacy.org), a nonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help by contacting him at elliottadvocacy.org/help/.
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