Avis to Supply 15,000 Free Rentals

The Avis sponsorship is happening in partnership with British Airways who are also giving £15 million of free flights to small and medium sized businesses. The costs of the Avis rentals will be worth about £175,000 altogether.

Avis sales director Anthony Ainsworth said: “As the exclusive partner of British Airways' and as the leading car hire company worldwide we want to offer preferential rental services to those who need it the most when they need it most.

'Travel is a vital part of business today and with more than 4,000 branches worldwide we can help meet business travelers' needs better than any of our competitors.
'When those business travelers arrive abroad courtesy of British Airways, they can make the most of their vital business engagements with Avis.'

Meanwhile, like many other car hire companies which have been caught in the credit crunch, Hertz has posted a first quarter loss.

But despite Hertz Global Holdings announcing substantial losses the company has indicated that the market is due to get better.

A Hertz statement was released to say that “Leisure market car rental pricing continues to improve, while corporate pricing declines should moderate with easier second half 2009 comparisons.”
Although Hertz is the world’s largest car hire company profits have recently plummeted by 25 cents per share.

Hertz has fed off other victims of the global financial crisis though and won an auction to take over the assets of the Advantage rent a car company which went bust. The acquisition was made to steady Hertz’s fleet and analysts think that Hertz may make carry out more take-overs.