Thousands of customers may have worthless car rental bookings through Atlas Choice this holiday season, according to a report by The Guardian.

Atlas Choice customers have reported being told at the rental car counters that their bookings wouldn’t be honored unless they paid again. Atlas Choice hadn’t paid the car’s actual provider for the bookings, says the report.

Angry customers have posted comments about the London-based company on Twitter and other social media.

Chris Clifton-Brown wrote online: “Booked through them recently, and when I turned up to collect my car the hire firm made me aware that Atlas Choice are not paying the actual hire firms. I had to pay the hire firm for the car again even though Atlas Choice had already taken my money.”

Operating since 1999, Atlas Choice has partnered with several web-based travel businesses and used the booking agent website via the TravelSupermarket comparison website. A TravelSupermarket spokeswoman told the Guardian that it pulled Atlas Choice from its listings three weeks ago when Atlaschoice missed a payment and couldn’t be reached.

Currently, the Atlas Choice website says it’s not accepting any new bookings.

“We have requested that all car hire companies keep cars in place to fulfill bookings and honor the previously agreed price,” Atlas Choice states on its website. “In the event that this does not occur, we recommend that you visit a travel search engine like Skyscanner or TravelSupermarket to source an alternative supplier — at the present time, Atlas Choice is unfortunately unable to assist. Please accept our sincere apologies for any inconvenience that this may cause you, especially at this time of year.”

Click here to read the full Guardian report.

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