'Physical Flight Itinerary' for car rental purposes

Uncle Pierre · 13-01-2026 02:59PM #1

Hi all. Reckon this as a good a spot as any to post this, since it refers to car rental for a trip.

I've a short trip to the UK coming up at the weekend. Flying into Birmingham (BHX) on Friday evening and have booked to rent a car from Enterprise/Alamo. Received a mail from them last Saturday saying that I'll need to show three things before they release a vehicle:

Physical credit card
Full & unexpired physical driving licence
Physical flight itinerary confirming my arrival at BHX

Obviously no issue with the first two but wondering what on earth they mean with the third one? Could it be as simple as a print-out of my airline booking showing that I am indeed flying into Birmingham on Friday and back out again on Sunday?

I did mail them directly to ask (within a few hours of their mail to me landing in the first place), but no reply from them yet, so wondering if anyone here might know. I've rented cars maybe ten times in the past but have never been asked for this before.

TIA.

Hoboo · 13-01-2026 03:01PM

They’ll keep an eye on arrival times in case of delay. Standard from my experience. Return I haven’t seen before.

Uncle Pierre · 13-01-2026 04:44PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124143835#Comment_124143835

Thanks. And am aware of that as standard procedure (e.g. if my flight is delayed by an hour, it'll be an hour later before I pick up the car), but their request here seems to be something different.

Seems a 'Physical flight itinerary confirming arrival at BHX' must be presented at the desk before they release a car. I'll obviously have physically arrived at BHX if I'm standing there at the counter before them, asking for a set of keys! But seems they want me to prove the how and when I got there????

Hoboo · 13-01-2026 06:31PM

……or maybe just to prove to them that you are who you claim to be and have arrived legally into the country on the flight you say you did. See it as a layer of KYC.

As a matter of interest, what’s your concern? You’re only being asked to present your flight details as you had done a few times already that day.

10-10-20 · 13-01-2026 06:34PM

It might be to ensure that you arrived via a flight (ie to ensure that you also intend on departing via a flight). Maybe they had thefts by individuals who just arrived on spec.

Uncle Pierre · 14-01-2026 12:53PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124144482#Comment_124144482

My concern is simply that I'm not sure what exactly they're asking for. I'm guessing that 'physical flight itinerary confirming my arrival at BHX' might mean a simple print-out of my flights booking confirmation email, and I've absolutely no issue in doing that. But if it means something else that I won't have with me because I didn't know what they mean, and if they decide to play hardball, that they won't release a car on the grounds that I didn't comply with something that they gave me a week's notice of.

Tried calling them earlier but got one of those messages of 'we are currently experiencing long wait times. Please hold.'

Might try again later. Might even try from the work phone so that I can hold anyway. 😄

Hoboo · 14-01-2026 02:20PM

Ah got ye.

From my experience they ask you to flash your boarding card but as they specify a physical copy print one out and all will be fine.

eusap · 14-01-2026 02:28PM

My last rental in Manchester, Europcar asked to see my return flight details, it was ok on the phone. I think it must be to do with VAT or Tax or Theft, but there was a Chinese girl in front who was refused the car as she had no return flights booked

thebiglad · 14-01-2026 02:52PM

I tried to collect a car with Enterprise (off airport site) whilst I was in UK (it was pre-booked), they required a proof of UK address, obviously being from Ireland I could not supply that, they would not hire me a vehicle and, I was stuffed as I needed that car!

They did not tell me (obviously) in the booking process that I needed this and, I put in my Irish address when booking.

Guess it is their rules to get around the non-resident bit but, a strange one and something which could easily be knocked up on a home PC so, carries little relevance.

Have used Hertz or Avis since, more expensive but never had an issue collecting a car.

Does sound though as if they want you to print out the flight itinerary, it is clear that they want physical evidence not, show on phone, guess they will take it or copy it and put it on their file.

At least they are clear in advance what they want, not so much the why.

L1011 · 14-01-2026 02:54PM

A number of terrorist attacks in the UK have used rented cars, and they are a country that loves functionary bullshit, so this could be some half-arsed attempt to reduce the risk of having a car with your logo on it being used dodgily.

Uncle Pierre · 14-01-2026 03:12PM

Thanks all. They've actually just replied to the email I sent them on Saturday, confirming that a print-out of my flight booking confirmation email will suffice. But bearing in mind what @eusap says above, still seems strange that they specifically ask for evidence only of my arrival into Birmingham, but no request for evidence that I intend to leave the place again on a return flight.

And still don't know exactly why they need it. FWIW, made a similar trip via Birmingham in early December and rented a car from Hertz there without being asked for the same thing.

But the why doesn't concern me. I was just wondering all along about the what!

Thanks again.

'Physical Flight Itinerary' for car rental purposes

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