I Paid 3x More for a Hertz Car Rental from Booking.com and Still Faced Breakdowns

I made a car rental reservation through Booking.com with Hertz, scheduled to pick up the vehicle at Basel Airport. I arrived two hours early, only to be told by Hertz that no cars were available. Despite my confirmed reservation, they offered me a different vehicle—but only if I paid three times the original amount. I had no choice and accepted under pressure. As a result, ₺5,000 was charged to my card, and Hertz also separately processed the rental charge.

To make matters worse, the replacement car broke down in the city center, leaving us stranded. We had to wait an entire day for a replacement, which significantly disrupted our travel plans and wasted our vacation time.

When I requested a refund from Booking.com for the extra charges, I was told no refund would be issued, claiming the car was returned late—an untrue and unacceptable excuse. I have submitted all test reports and check-in documentation, yet for over a week, no one has responded to my emails.

I demand an immediate refund of the extra charges deducted by both Booking.com and Hertz, and a formal response addressing this clear case of overcharging and service failure. This experience has been a major disappointment, and unless resolved, I will not trust or use either platform again.