Aspect Car Rental BlogNews and views about car hire and rental world wide.

Sounds quite dramatic doesn’t it? It’s not really as draconic as it sounds, more and more airports are aggregating the car rental companies in an off airport center to save space at the airports. Car hire desks will still be in the arrivals hall at many airports, but the cars themselves will be held off airport and shuttle buses will be provided. San Antonio airport is the latest to announce ‘greener’ policies, in this insatnace the car rental companies themselves have decided to amalgamate their shuttle buses so one bus collects all clients for all airport car hire companies.

How does this affect you the renter? In many ways it doesn’t really, the smaller airports still have their cars on site and the desks are in the arrivals hall, where you fill out the contract and then walk to the parking lot to pick up your car. The downside to this is that if when you get to your car and check it (you do check it don’t you?) if you find damage on the car that is not marked on the contract, for your own protection you must walk back to the arrivals hall and the car hire desk and get the clerk to amend their part of the contract too.

If you don’t do this, you may find yourself stuck with a credit card charge for repairs! Other than that it’s still the preferred method of getting your hire car, in the parking lot at the airport!

Still for many people arriving in major airports like Miami, JFK. Heathrow etc, life will remain unchanged as they go to the rental desk and then take a shuttle bus to the cars. Will this drop the price of airport car hire? I suspect not, it’s a captive audience after all and those who travel and need to get from the airport to hotels, friends homes, self catering accommodation or to a business meeting are still going to need a car at the airport!