Europcar Milan Denies Car Pick-Up Over International Driving Permit Requirement
I rented a vehicle from Milan Malpensa Airport for the dates May 12–May 21 through Booking.com under Confirmation No: 763596651. When I went to pick up the car, the Europcar representative refused to accept my Turkish driver's license, demanded an International Driving Permit, and canceled the reservation without delivering the vehicle. However, during the booking process and in the confirmation email, it was only stated that the driver must possess a valid driver's license, with no mention of an International Driving Permit requirement.
Although I have previously rented cars from Europcar multiple times using the exact same Turkish driver's license, refusing to hand over the vehicle this time and handling the process in this manner caused me significant hardship. The reservation totaled $474, and I was completely unable to use the vehicle.
When I reported the issue to Booking.com, they sent an email claiming they had warned about this requirement prior to booking. However, when I asked where and how this warning was displayed, I received no concrete answer despite writing back four times. Unilaterally imposing an International Driving Permit requirement after the fact for a booking that simply specifies a "driver's license," along with ignoring my inquiries, is entirely unacceptable behavior.
Since the vehicle was never delivered and I was victimized based on a condition that was not clearly stated during booking, I demand a full refund of the total amount I paid along with a clear, written explanation regarding this matter.
