I rented a car from Sixt at the airport through Expedia. When picking up the car, I informed the attendant that I did not need insurance, since my credit card covered it. Nevertheless, he added insurance, and would not let me get a car without it. With very little sleep from an overnight flight from the US, and traveling on a severe family emergency, I had no choice but to sign.
I called Sixt two days later to get the insurance taken off. After three phone calls, the station manager at Frankfurt Airport assured me that the rental charges would indeed be taken off. When I returned the car, I was not given any paperwork, nor did I receive anything by email. But two days later, the company charged $169.65 to my credit card, even though the rental had been paid for by Expedia. This charge was even larger than the charges shown on the rental contract! I tried calling the company as soon as I found out. After navigating though an automated system for several minutes and entering the contract number, the automated system informed me that I had called "outside of office hours". On a Saturday around noon! The local office at the airport is open, but a phone number to call it directly is not listed on the rental contract or on the web site for the station - the only number is the one I had already called. It's 666-666, that should give you a hint!
I have rented cars dozens of times, including numerous times at Frankfurt Airport. I have never encountered problems like this before. I chose Sixt because it seemed $20 cheaper on Expedia; instead, I paid $150 more. I will never rent from Sixt again. read more