Drivalia Refused Car Rental After Payment Due to Credit Card Requirement

I am submitting this complaint regarding my recent experience with Drivalia at Bologna Airport, in connection with reservation number 1184879308 made in the name of Ecaterina L*** for a rental period from 6 June to 5 July 2026. The total amount of €1,036.17 was paid in advance through the company’s website, my payment was accepted, and the booking was confirmed. When I arrived at Bologna Airport to collect the vehicle, I was informed that the rental could not proceed because I did not have a credit card. At no point during the practical booking and payment steps was this critical requirement clearly and prominently highlighted. Instead, it was only mentioned within lengthy terms and conditions and not brought to my attention in a clear, visible, or explicit way before payment was taken. As a result, Drivalia accepted my payment, confirmed my reservation, and then refused to provide any vehicle, meaning that no rental service was delivered at all. I consider it unfair and unacceptable that a full payment was collected while a key requirement that would block the rental in practice was not properly flagged before the transaction was completed. After this incident, I contacted Drivalia customer service several times and requested a refund of €1,036.17, since the service I paid for was never provided. Despite my explanations, the company repeatedly refused to issue any reimbursement, maintaining a “no refund” position even though no car was supplied. Following this, I reviewed numerous public reviews and complaints from other customers describing very similar experiences, especially regarding unclear information and difficulties in obtaining refunds when cars were not handed over. The number and similarity of these reports suggest that the problems I faced are not isolated but may reflect a recurring pattern. While I do not make any allegation about the company’s intentions, I believe this situation raises serious concerns about the transparency and fairness of Drivalia’s business practices in such cases. In light of the above, I request a full refund of €1,036.17 for this booking, as the contracted rental car was never provided and the service was not delivered. I also expect this case to be reviewed carefully, taking into account both my experience and the broader concerns raised by similar customer complaints.