About 1.5 months ago, I used Booking.com to reserve both a hotel and a rental car for an international trip. On the day of my rental, I realized I’d be about 2 hours late to pick up the car due to a train delay from Copenhagen. At 06:37 a.m., I sent an email through Booking.com explaining the situation.
As expected, I arrived at Flex to GO in Cologne Airport at 13:20—just over 2 hours late—and was told the reservation had been automatically canceled after a 1-hour window. I explained that I had informed Booking in advance, but they asked for proof of the email, which I couldn’t access as it was sent through their system. They refused to honor my booking.
I was then forced to rebook the same car at nearly 4x the original price so my family trip wouldn’t be ruined. Ironically, Booking replied to my message at 14:08, saying they “called Flex to GO but couldn’t reach them.” I went back and showed Flex to GO the email, and they confirmed no one called or emailed them—they were at the desk the whole time.
Since then, I’ve contacted Booking.com multiple times requesting at least a refund for the original canceled reservation, but all I get is vague responses. Each day, a different representative asks me to repeat the entire story, and then they reply with “we can’t cancel within 48 hours of your reservation.”
But I never asked to cancel—I asked them to notify the rental company of a 2-hour delay, which they failed to do. Their response was careless, and their system lacks even the most basic customer support. I chose Booking.com over cheaper alternatives hoping for professional service—instead, I got ignored, overcharged, and misled.
Booking.com has completely failed me, and I expect a full refund and accountability for this experience.
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