PAYLESS - Information, Car Rental Instructions & Policies

Dubai Airport has 3 terminals, with most international flights arriving at T3. Most car rental companies have counters at T3 and T1, but PAYLESS only has a counter at T1. You need to take the shuttle bus between terminals, which can be inconvenient for those who are not fluent in English or have little experience traveling abroad. T1 is an older terminal with unclear rental car signs. PAYLESS’s counter is the least visible, located at the very end of all car rental counters. The most disappointing thing was that the car pickup point is at A2 in the parking building. All car rental companies have a counter here, but PAYLESS’s counter is always empty, and customers have to call to get service. During my car pickup, there was miscommunication—the staff initially told me to go to the second floor in A2, but later said to go to the right exit lane outside the terminal building. It was very confusing. With my pickup slip in hand, I went to the address marked at A2, but there was no one there. Other companies’ staff kindly told me to call PAYLESS. After three calls and a 25-minute wait, someone finally brought the car from the basement, which they said took time. The car inspection was thorough but they didn’t mention whether the car used gasoline or diesel, and I forgot to ask. The service staff later told me it was likely gasoline. The car manual was thicker than a dictionary and all in English, so I didn’t bother reading it. I took a chance and pumped gasoline. After the handover, I found they didn't give me the parking ticket and had to chase them for it. At the exit, they charged me 15 AED for parking, which should have been covered by the rental company as part of the rental fee, but they insisted. During the return process, I was at T3 for departure, so I unloaded my friends, children, and luggage, and then drove to T1’s A2 area. No one was there. After multiple desperate calls, they kept saying someone would come in various time frames but took 30 minutes. The car inspection guy took his time, examining every part of the car for about 8 minutes before signing the inspection sheet. He didn't give me a copy, so I took a photo with my phone. When I mentioned the 15 AED charge, he cluelessly said it shouldn't be charged and that was it. After confirming multiple times that all return procedures were ok, I rushed to catch the shuttle bus. On a side note, it was raining that day, which is rare in Dubai’s desert climate. I had to stand in the open parking lot in the rain while they slowly inspected the car. This was the most frustrating rental experience of my life. I hope the rare rain in Dubai not only washes the city's glamorous facade but also cleanses their hearts.