The main problem was at the new LAX rental center. This place is massive, and not so easy to find where you need to go without someone giving you directions. But the real problem was with Avis staffing and car management. There were only two agents at the desk, both who were amazing in dealing with the stress, but the line move so slow - it took 30 minutes to process all of 6 or 7 rentals in front of me. And then when my rental was processed, I was asked to sit and wait while they found a car for me. Another 30 minutes. And then when I was assigned a car in a spot, I went to that spot and there was no car. So I went to the counter down in the parking area, and a very nice attendant went and found me a car. Took her two tries, but she did find one, changed my paperwork, and I left the rental center almost 90 min after arriving. If this was at a super high volume time I would understand a little more, but this was 9pm on a Wednesday evening. Again, the staff was doing the best they could, and everyone was very professional and working very hard, best I could tell. This is a management issue plane and simple. Maybe the LAX rental center is to blame. Don't know, I was renting for a one way to get to Bakersfield the next morning to pick up another vehicle, but had I just finished a 12 hour (or longer ) international trip, gone through baggage claim and customs, waited for and taken the shuttle to the rent center only to wait another hour + to get my car, it would have been hard not to lose it. To everyone's credit that night, despite some tears and clear expressions of frustration, the renters and the rental car employees kept things civil. I don't pretend to understand the challenges at these mega rental centers, but the one at LAX seems to be a disaster. I'll avoid it as much as I can. And for Avis's part, I can only guess that they had their part in it, too. We rent from Avis often times because my wife's employer has a corp account with special pricing, but the service is always hit and miss. Its a tough biz……...
The staff was helpful and the facility was efficient. The key was not in my first car they assigned so I had to go back and find someone to help me. James helped me quickly and took care of me. He was great.
Car was not ready and when to pick it up there was no car in assigned spot. Required further interaction with agents to finally get a car, smaller than reserved and that was filthy inside and not great on the outside.
The car rental office is too high, making it inconvenient for elderly people to carry luggage back and forth.
This was the worst rental car experience I’ve ever had!!! upon landing. I went directly to the Avis office to pick up my vehicle which had been reserved two weeks prior. I was traveling with my elderly parents, and I asked them to wait at the baggage claim area in the airport since they do not have mobility and it would be difficult for them to take the shuttle to the Avis car pick up. It typically takes about 30 minutes to get a rental car and that would have been an easy way for them since we did not have any checked-baggage to pick up. . upon arrival at the Avis counter. I was met by a crowd of 300 people standing in line. Approximately four agents were working that day, December 25, 2025 at 12 noon there was a very slow process to check in everyone … nowhere to sit… no way to charge your phone no way to step out of line to use the bathroom. The crowd was hostile and it took over four hours to get my rental car. if I had any way of getting another rental car I would have left, but at this time other car rentals were sold out, and I got stuck having to wait for the service that Avis was able to provide! the workers seemed angry to work December 25. They seemed unhappy to be there. One female employee walked away from the desk at least 7 times to go get coffee as if to be sure, she didn’t work the crowd that was lined up in a speedy way… she made every effort to slow the process. Once her shift ended, she happily put her purse on her shoulder and walked off while the crowd was yelling. What’s happening? Where are you going? She turned to the crowd and said I’m going home!! some employees huddled while in view of customers and chatted with each other. As if to plan when their exit would come. When I finally got to the front of the counter four hours later, I was grateful that I had not needed to use the bathroom and I was grateful that I had a few peanut butter cups in my purse to survive on for food since I had traveled from the East Coast and have been traveling all day ! my phone battery had died, and I had asked my neighbor to loan me her charger pack, since I now had no way to contact my elderly parents still waiting for me at baggage claim in terminal one.. It only took me five minutes to get my vehicle once I made it to the front of the line. I had created an Avis profile in order to speed the process up. the young man who checked processed my rental was very efficient however he was the only employee that seemed to care that we were in need of help and stranded until someone had the heart to work our rental . People began to scream out loud asking if there were even any cars in the back for us once we made it through the line. Will we be able to get cars. I knew in my heart that there was going to soon be a riot and I pray that I could get out of there before that happened. . While I stood, there are signing the agreement other customers bombarded the desk asking about their particular cases saying that they needed help. Angry that they were not able to get SUVs for parties that were larger in size. They were promised SUVs and they were unable to get them that day. I got angry and asked them to please step away since I have waited in that line for four hours. It was now my turn to be serviced once I got the vehicle. There were no issues thereafter, but I still promised myself. I would never use Avis again.
Fortunately we arrived early to pick our car, as the check in really took a long time, even though there were hardly any people there.
