Olbia Hertz Sucks

I'm a President's Circle member, so I expected top-notch service from Hertz. Unfortunately, my recent rental experience at Olbia Airport was far from satisfactory.

I had specifically reserved a Premium Car advertised as suitable for 5 passengers and 5 suitcases. When I arrived, the vehicle provided was clearly too small — we had only 4 people and 5 suitcases, which should have been more than adequate. The agent offered no solutions or upgrade to meet the advertised specifications. Instead, I was charged extra for a different vehicle that could accommodate our luggage.

To make matters worse, I was billed twice for the rental. As a loyal member of Hertz's highest status programme, I am extremely disappointed. I urge Hertz to review this situation, correct the charges, and issue appropriate refunds.

Hertz Olbia charged me €375 for vehicle damage that never happened. I have photos proving no damage occurred at return.

When I requested evidence to support their claim — complete silence for weeks. No response from the airport location, Italian customer service, or corporate.

Their refusal to provide proof confirms this is systematic fraud targeting customers. I have filed complaints with my credit card company and Italian consumer protection.

AVOID — they will fabricate damage charges and refuse to provide evidence when challenged.

We booked an automatic car well in advance, but upon arrival they told us there were "no automatics left" and forced us to take an electric vehicle instead. At pickup they charged us double the original amount, claiming it was "just a deposit" — which it wasn't.

Once on the island, we discovered there were almost no working charging stations. The only ones that functioned were a 20-minute drive from our hotel, in remote locations, requiring five-hour waits to fully charge. This completely disrupted our holiday.

Because it was impossible to meet their unrealistic charging requirement, we returned the car at 40% instead of 80% charge — and they slapped us with an extra €200 fee. I called multiple times; staff were dismissive, rude, and offered no solution.

We were charged €145 plus a €50 service fee for an apparent scratch on the driver-side door. It was not a dent — a very small (1cm) white mark on the paint that could be removed with cleaning. The agent was not understanding and not helpful.

I am being forced to pay over $300 CAD for a minute mark most likely present before we rented the car. We were at a resort with ample parking and no vehicles nearby. As a long-time Hertz customer, I find this to be completely unacceptable. Hertz should not have charged for this and we should be refunded in full.

Booked and fully paid (~€600) through Kayak for a Hertz rental in Olbia two weeks in advance. Arrived with my wife and two small kids — Hertz refused to accept my perfectly valid credit card for the deposit. The same card works everywhere else in Europe, including Italy, but "not here."

No help, no alternative offered — just a flat refusal. We lost four hours at the airport trying to sort this out with two tired children, and ended up without a car. Hertz kept the money even though no car was ever provided. Kayak confirmed Hertz charged it.

Result: €600 gone, first day of vacation ruined, and an incredible amount of stress. Avoid Hertz Olbia at all costs.

I booked directly through the Hertz website at Olbia Airport, including Super Cover insurance. The "branch manager" (Marco C.) refused my Visa Debit card, claiming it wasn't valid because it had an IBAN printed on it — something not mentioned anywhere in the rental terms. He showed me a text in Italian I couldn't verify and tried to push me into making a new booking at a higher rate.

I called Hertz customer service, who confirmed my card should be accepted. I ended up using a different debit card and needed an emergency transfer from family just to pay. The entire process took three hours.

Afterward I confirmed: my original card is a standard debit card, and local terms mention no restriction based on printed IBANs. I believe the manager was deliberately trying to force a higher-rate booking. Be extremely cautious with this location.

Car was fully paid and reserved through Swiss TCS. Because we did not have the credit card in the driver's name we could not collect the car. The agent hid behind company rules and refused to help. I tried calling TCS — no help. Then called Hertz headquarters in Switzerland — no help, hiding behind small print in the terms and conditions.

I had to rent from another company and we lost €300 to Hertz.

The exact same thing happened to another family just a few minutes before us. Don't rent with them or via TCS.

We pre-paid through easyJet. All confirmation emails stated we needed one credit card in the driver's name. We confirmed the same when checking in online via Hertz directly.

At the desk (Monday 13/10/25, ~2pm) we were told we needed two physical credit cards. The agent went out of his way to be as unhelpful as possible. We asked to change the driver — refused. One physical + one virtual card — refused ("they're still operating like it's 2002"). A less expensive car with no refund — refused. A signed note confirming he couldn't provide our car — refused.

When we called his bluff and produced a phone with easyJet on the line, he became hostile and jumped from the counter to grab my phone, threatening to "call his cousin who's a cop."

End result: Hertz kept our money, didn't provide a car, and we had to scramble. Sixt Olbia were very friendly and didn't require two physical cards. Our three young children were shaken for the entire week. Legal action is being explored.

I rented a car from this location and documented all existing damages on video at pickup. I returned the car in the exact same condition, filming the same pre-existing damages again before handing over the keys.

Days later, back in New York, I received an email claiming "new damages" and demanding €551.41. The so-called damages are identical to those present at pickup, and my video proves it.

They also charged €120 for a "smoke-free" violation. We do not smoke. The only reason there was sand in the car was because we visited beaches in Sardinia — a completely normal situation any honest rental company would handle with a basic clean, not an inflated penalty.

This is not bad service. This is predatory behaviour designed to extract money from tourists. Do not rent from this location. If you must, document every inch of the car at pickup and drop-off and expect fabricated charges after you leave the country. I wish I had seen a review like this before booking — it would have saved me a €671.41 lesson.

Absolutely the worst car rental experience I've ever had. They took a €200 deposit from my credit card for incidental fees, and at the end of the rental didn't return a single cent. Their excuse? A fake "smoking cleaning fee" (I don't smoke!) and a fuel charge even though I refueled the car right next to the airport and returned it with a full tank.

On top of that, they tried to charge us €500 for scratches and marks the car already had when we picked it up. Thankfully we have videos from the very first minute showing those damages, which proves their dishonesty.

This company is a scam with completely unethical business practices. Avoid Hertz Autonoleggio at all costs if you value your money, honesty, and peace of mind.

Similar experience to everyone else here: extremely unprofessional.

We pre-paid through easyJet, and all confirmation emails stated we needed one credit card in the driver's name. When we checked in online via Hertz, we ticked a box confirming we had one such card.

At the desk they told us we needed two physical credit cards — it's "in the general conditions." From there it went downhill fast. They kept our money and did not provide a car. Sixt Olbia, by the way, were very friendly and had no such requirement.

Absolute scam. After using the car for ten days they charged €100 for a deep cleaning fee because the car was "too sandy inside." I've hired plenty of cars over the years and never had this issue — it seems to be purely an opportunity to squeeze extra cash out of tourists. Please do yourself a favour and avoid.

They deserve zero stars. Terrible rental company — their booking terms don't match what they tell you when you collect the car, and their staff are completely incapable of assisting. Would avoid at all costs. Sixt, Budget, and Avis are all much more reliable.