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Some car rentals using floods as an excuse to charge travellers exorbitant fees 7062

13. mar 2023 20:55

If having your vacation plans upset by flooding wasn't bad enough, some travellers who were left stranded by the flooding in South East Iceland are also being hit with unreasonable big bills from their car rental companies.

Read more: 120 travellers stranded by floods airlifted from S.E. Iceland

Local media reports that some travellers who found themselves trapped by the flooding in S.E. Iceland at guesthouses or at the emergency shelter put up by ICE-SAR have also discovered that they have been ensnared by exorbiant fees leveled by car rental companies. These travellers, who were forced to leave their rental cars behind when they were airlifted to safety, are being charged late fees and penalties from car rental companies unwilling to consider a natural catastrophe as a valid reason not to get the rental car back in time. 

Read more: Ring Road in SE Iceland will remain closed until end of next week

The local news site Vísir reports that some car rentals have charged travellers penalties for not returning the cars at the time and place stipulated by the rental contract. It is not clear how many travellers have been affected. According to a statement by the Police in South Iceland most car rentals have been willing to solve the issue in a fair manner. 

For a full reporting on the storm and its effects see our previous stories:

Early Wednesday morning the Ring Road in Berufjörður had been closed: Travel alert: Swelling rivers in E. Iceland due to heavy rain. Ring Road re-opened in Berufjörður

Wednesday afternoon ICE-SAR helped rescue sheep in East Iceland: Flock of lambs drowns: ICE-SAR rescues sheep in floods caused by torrential rain in E. Iceland

Later on Wednesday afternoon the Ring Road was closed in Hornafjörður fjord: Travel alert: Ring Road has been closed by Hólmsá river in S.E. Iceland

Wednesday evening it became clear the Ring Road will not be re-opened for a while: UPDATE Travel alert: Ring Road in East Iceland will remain closed due to flooding

Early Thursday morning travellers who spent the night in emergency shelters woke up to make new travel plans as the Ring Road will remain closed for 2-3 days: 60-70 travellers spent night in emergency shelters: Ring Road to remain closed in SE Iceland for 2-3 days due to floods

Thursday noon the IRCA closed the Ring Road at Steinavöð river: Ring Road now closed at second point between Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon and town of Höfn

Thursday an uncertainty phase was declared for the areas in South East Iceland worst hit by the floods: Civil Protection Agency has declared Uncertainty Level for S.E. Iceland

Thursday afternoon the Coast Guard flew supplies to farmers cut off by the flood: 20-25 farms cut off due to floods in S.E. Iceland: Ring Road has suffered serious damage

If having your vacation plans upset by flooding wasn't bad enough, some travellers who were left stranded by the flooding in South East Iceland are also being hit with unreasonable big bills from their car rental companies.

Read more: 120 travellers stranded by floods airlifted from S.E. Iceland

Local media reports that some travellers who found themselves trapped by the flooding in S.E. Iceland at guesthouses or at the emergency shelter put up by ICE-SAR have also discovered that they have been ensnared by exorbiant fees leveled by car rental companies. These travellers, who were forced to leave their rental cars behind when they were airlifted to safety, are being charged late fees and penalties from car rental companies unwilling to consider a natural catastrophe as a valid reason not to get the rental car back in time. 

Read more: Ring Road in SE Iceland will remain closed until end of next week

The local news site Vísir reports that some car rentals have charged travellers penalties for not returning the cars at the time and place stipulated by the rental contract. It is not clear how many travellers have been affected. According to a statement by the Police in South Iceland most car rentals have been willing to solve the issue in a fair manner. 

For a full reporting on the storm and its effects see our previous stories:

Early Wednesday morning the Ring Road in Berufjörður had been closed: Travel alert: Swelling rivers in E. Iceland due to heavy rain. Ring Road re-opened in Berufjörður

Wednesday afternoon ICE-SAR helped rescue sheep in East Iceland: Flock of lambs drowns: ICE-SAR rescues sheep in floods caused by torrential rain in E. Iceland

Later on Wednesday afternoon the Ring Road was closed in Hornafjörður fjord: Travel alert: Ring Road has been closed by Hólmsá river in S.E. Iceland

Wednesday evening it became clear the Ring Road will not be re-opened for a while: UPDATE Travel alert: Ring Road in East Iceland will remain closed due to flooding

Early Thursday morning travellers who spent the night in emergency shelters woke up to make new travel plans as the Ring Road will remain closed for 2-3 days: 60-70 travellers spent night in emergency shelters: Ring Road to remain closed in SE Iceland for 2-3 days due to floods

Thursday noon the IRCA closed the Ring Road at Steinavöð river: Ring Road now closed at second point between Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon and town of Höfn

Thursday an uncertainty phase was declared for the areas in South East Iceland worst hit by the floods: Civil Protection Agency has declared Uncertainty Level for S.E. Iceland

Thursday afternoon the Coast Guard flew supplies to farmers cut off by the flood: 20-25 farms cut off due to floods in S.E. Iceland: Ring Road has suffered serious damage