COVID-19 Response from Car Rental Partners

Based on the extent of Auto Europe's global car rental network, some travelers may be wondering how our associates are ensuring due diligence when it comes to COVID-19. Despite car rentals being the preferred mode of travel throughout this pandemic, safe to say that companies have needed to amp up their cleaning procedures. Not only have companies like Sixt and Enterprise heightened protocols to stay economically afloat but to also maintain trust from their staff and patrons.

Even though 2020 is behind us, these practices won't be going away anytime soon. Continue reading to learn how each of our major car rental partners are responding to new health and sanitation demands. Not only are statewide responses to COVID-19 variable but also car rental companies.

Avis COVID policy

• Like the majority of car rental suppliers, Avis has been adhering to the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control guidelines to curb the spread of COVID-19.
• According to Avis' website, the company is paying particularly special attention to sanitizing frequently touches parts of the car interior like seats, wheel, handles, etc.
• Not only is Avis being super vigilant inside rental vehicles but also facilities where staff are always encouraged to stay home if they're feeling ill and social distancing is practiced.

Budget COVID policy

• Like its counterpart Avis, Budget does a thorough job cleansing vehicle interiors, particularly high-contact surfaces such as dashboards, door handles, center console dials, etc.
• Recently Budget has also implemented a “pay later” feature meant to provide flexibility in case of needing to cancel your car reservation.
• All the while, Budget continuously encourages employees to remain vigilant against contracting the virus with mask wearing and social distancing at work, not to mention using plenty of hand sanitizer.

Dollar COVID policy

• As of July 27, employees and customers have been reportedly required to wear masks, although children 3 and under and those with health conditions can be exempt.
• Across the board, Dollar consistently disinfects each vehicle after every usage including vacuuming, washing exterior plus interior, cleansing high-contact areas, thoroughly removing trash, etc.
• On par with others, this company has also implemented new and improved prepaid reservations that include waiving cancellation and charge fees in restricted travel areas.

Enterprise COVID policy

• Interestingly enough, Enterprise has collaborated with Clorox to boost its COVID-19 cleaning response known as the Complete Clean Pledge.
• What this means is that every Enterprise car rental unit in the United States and Canada comes with its own Clorox disinfecting wipes for the sake of quality reassurance.
• Perhaps we're now noticing a trend but Enterprise has also introduced no-fee cancellation to its customers in case of unforeseen circumstances.

Hertz COVID policy

• To better accommodate clients in case of cancellations, Hertz is also offering no fees in case you need to terminate a pre-paid reservation.
• Coinciding with this, travelers can also pay for their Hertz car rental at the time of pick-up.
• While Hertz cleans every vehicle after each rental, it isolates a car for over 60 hours in case it comes across a person with COVID.

Sixt COVID policy

• According to the website, Sixt is all about deep cleaning touch points such as steering wheels, dashboards, radio dials, cup holders, center consoles, door handles, as well as upper hand grips.
• With this, both the interior and exterior get wiped down including wiper fluid check, quality check, car wash, complete vacuum, trash removal, plus window cleaning
• Under a different model, Sixt bookings made with the “Pay online” option can be changed for only $0.01. while the “Pay later” option can be changed free of charge whenever wherever.