We left the hotel in plenty of time to make it to the airport, return the car, and check into the flight home, with time left over to check if the alternate flight, to Montreal, might be better than Toronto. But again, the drive was not without its problems; like seemingly every other airport in the world, Frankfurt is constantly constructing new buildings, and therefore re-aligning and re-routing roads. Thus, we missed one or two turns which weren't quite where the GPS thought they were, but even with that, we pulled into the Avis section of the rental car return area in good time.
The Avis technology was impressive; as we pulled in the person checking us in input the car registration number into a wireless handheld, and by the time I stopped the car and got out, he greeted me by name! As we unloaded, he checked the car for damage. After he completed that he pointed out what was a very minor and shallow scratch, on the under-surface of the front bumper cover, about 2.5 to 3.5 cm long (if this had been my car, I would either have ignored it, or buffed it out with rubbing compound). He suggested that it might have in fact been there when I picked up the car, asked me to fill out an accident report indicating that I denied having caused the damage, promising that there would be no charge to my credit card without my being contacted first, and then printed out the credit card bill for the rental. It was much later that I realized that bill actually included a charge of 177.43 (nearly $300) Euro for the alleged damage! (When I got home, I reported this "damage" to the insurer for American Express, as the Amex card I have insures car rentals charged to the card, and in due time I was re-embursed.) At the time I also asked if I should take pictures of the car, and the alleged damage, and was told that there was no need, as they would take pictures and provide them to me. Big mistake, as it turns out; advice to self, and to others; always take pictures of rental cars as you pick them up, and again when you return them, all sides and close-up, especially of areas allegedly damaged!
From there to check-in and dropping off luggage, and then to the gate for the flight to Toronto, which the agent checking us in told us had seats available, so no problem getting on in J class (Business class, given our priority). And so, on to the gate; and the next problem!
When flying contingent (space available, stand-by, etc.) with Air Canada, the electronic booking system takes care of prioritizing those standing by (based on seniority, and whether an extra service charge has been paid for business class). Once checked in, at the gate the agents simply fill available seats, business class first, then hospitality, based on the priority as shown in the system. It is fair, and impartial. Except, as it turns out, in Frankfurt, where there is marching to a different drummer.
Note for others flying contingent out of Frankfurt.When you get to the gate, you are expected to turn your boarding pass over to the gate agents to indicate that you are there - never mind that you checked in and ckecked luggage earlier - if you don't you are assumed to not be there or gone missing. By the time we caught on, they had filled all the J calss seats, and we ended up in Y (Hospitality), separated, with June sitting next to a very large man who took up half her space, and me sitting next to a lady from Iran who had a concept of personal hygiene different from that of North America.
But, we got home!
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