News

25.5.11 / Important Customer Information - European Air traffic disruption

During the period of air travel disruption across Europe, Avis Europe is committed to trying harder to fulfill the travel needs for all customers who have been affected.

For bookings during this period , we will not be charging the non-cancellation fee so customers do not need to call us to cancel a reservation. However if you wish to cancel or amend your booking, you can do so online.
Any pre-paid bookings made for pickup during this period which have been booked directly with Avis and not taken as a result of these travel disruptions, will be fully reimbursed. You can claim your refund by emailing the customer service department in your country of residence. Customers living in Austria can directly write to kundenservice@avis.at

Please note our call centre (phone 0800 0800 87 57) is experiencing a high volume of calls - we therefore recommend to book your car directly online.





Important Information

Important Customer Information - European Air traffic disruption

During the period of air travel disruption across Europe caused by the volcanic cloud, Avis Europe is committed to trying harder to fulfill the travel needs for all customers who have been affected.

For bookings during this period (until 25.4.10), we will not be charging the non-cancellation fee so customers do not need to call us to cancel a reservation. However if you wish to cancel or amend your booking, you can do so online.

Any pre-paid bookings made for pickup during this period which have been booked directly with Avis and not taken as a result of these travel disruptions, will be fully reimbursed. You can claim your refund by emailing the customer service department in your country of residence. Customers living in Austria can directly write to kundenservice@avis.at

We are also offering one-way car rental in order to make sure you reach your final destination as quick as possible. Where ever possible we offer for such rentals cars registered in your destination country in order to keep your travel cost low. As the availability of such vehicles is limited, we do of course also offer one way rentals with locally registered cars.

Please note our call centre (phone 0800 0800 87 57) is experiencing a high volume of calls - we therefore recommend to book your car directly online.





Avis Car Rental now open in Vietnam

Avis, the leading global car rental company in Asia, announces its entry into Vietnam as the first leading global car rental brand to operate in the country.

Avis Vietnam will offer business and leisure customers the full spectrum of car rental, car leasing and chauffeur drive services. Customers will be able to choose from the latest range of compact, mid to large size, sports and luxury vehicles from popular brands. As an added benefit, a professionally trained and experienced English speaking local driver will also be included as part of the car hire.





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Avis wins Sweden's Grand Travel Award
Once again, Avis has picked up Sweden's Grand Travel Award. Votes were cast by a total of 550 travel trade employees throughout the country who ranked travel operators.

This was not only Avis' sixteenth consecutive win in the "Car Rental Provider" category, but the Sweden team even managed to win with an improved rating over last year.





FTSE4Good
Avis has been independently assessed according to the FTSE4Good criteria, and has satisfied the requirements to become a constituent of the FTSE4Good Index Series.

Created by the global index company FTSE Group, FTSE4Good is an equity index series that is designed to facilitate investment in companies that meet globally recognised corporate responsibility standards. Companies in the FTSE4Good Index Series have met stringent social, ethical and environmental criteria, and are positioned to capitalise on the benefits of responsible business practice.

Click here to find out more.




World Travel Award Asia 2008
Avis was recently recognized by travel professionals around the world for the 3rd consecutive year as "Asia's Leading Car Hire" at the regional World Travel Awards ceremony for Asia, Australasia and the Indian Ocean held at the Swissôtel Grand in Shanghai, China.

The World Travel Awards were established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate achievements in all sectors of the global travel industry.

"We are honoured to be recognized once again by international travel professionals with this award and it is a true tribute to the excellence of the Avis network in Asia", said Eric Brun, General Manager - Asia.





Avis China wins CTW Award 2008
Award win demonstrates Avis tries harder in China

Avis China has been recognised as a leader in Service Quality at one of Beijing's leading travel trade shows, COTTM 2008 - proof if any were needed that Avis' 'We Try Harder' values translate into Mandarin Chinese as well as any other language.

Launched in 2004, the prestigious CTW Awards are granted by an independent international jury and cover five categories: Service Quality, Product Development, Marketing, Internet/New Media, and Overall Performance.





Smoke Free Rental Cars
An end to smoke-tainted rental cars!
Since 1 April 2008, smoking is no longer permitted in Avis rental vehicles in Switzerland, Austria and the Czech Republic. This is no April Fools' Day joke, but an effective measure aimed at boosting air quality and comfort in rental vehicles.

Through this strict no smoking policy, Avis aims to make car rental an even more enjoyable experience - especially for the large non-smoking majority.

Experience abroad has shown that ever more customers are demanding a non-smoking car. And it's much the same story in the hotel sector, where many guests now explicitly wish to stay in a "non-smoking room". The trend is unmistakeable: an end to smoke-tainted surroundings in favour of better air quality and greater comfort! It's hardly surprising then that car rental companies are also insisting on "smoke free".




Arabian Travel Market Award
Avis Voted 'Best Car Rental Company In The Middle East'

Avis were awarded the title of 'Best Rent a Car Company in the Middle East' for the seventh time in eight years at the Arabian Travel Market Awards on Monday 5th May in Dubai.
Avis opened its first operations in the Middle East in the 1960s and expanded into the Gulf region during the 1970s, growing steadily as the area was developing. Today, the Avis brand operates from 100 locations in ten countries, through a network of wholly owned, subsidiary, joint ventures and licensee agreements in the Middle East.





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Avis in China

In China we are currently represented via over 14 locations in 14 cities: Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Nanjing. Guangzhou and Shenzhen etc.

As self drive customers must hold a valid Chinese drivers license in order to be able to drive themselves, all our quoted rates are inclusive driver service to make sure you stay mobile during your visit.

We are continuously looking for ways to enhance our service to improve the experience for our customers. Recent examples include the introduction of a new Driver Academy Programme and the addition of new manufacturers, including SsangYong and Roewe to the fleet.
Avis is accelerating the network expansion in preparation for the 2008 Olympic and 2010 World Expo to further enhance the city to city services.

We are the only international car rental company operating in China. During the next two years we plan to open branches in Wuhan, Chengdu, Shenyang, Qingdao, Xiamen, Chongqing and Changsha.





Our Rental Agreement has nothing to hide

We've taken a good look at our Rental Agreement and made it easier to understand.

Gone are confusing statements. Instead, you will find clarity on Terms and Conditions. Prices are displayed as totals and broken down by service, so you know exactly what you are paying. And the Vehicle Condition Report, including the petrol gauge level, is now part of the agreement form so you don't have handfuls of paper to look after.

We also thought you'd appreciate the agreement being in your own language regardless of which country you are in, because we are committed to making renting as easy as possible.






Officially proven: Avis - the most customer oriented car rental company in Germany

Avis has achieved the excellent fifth position in the competition "Germany's most customer oriented service providers 2007" and is the only car rental company to figure among the top 50 companies.

The ranking has been established by a jury of independent experts and shows that Avis is not only the most customer oriented car rental company in Germany, but figures also among the top service providers of all sectors. "Excellent service quality is more than a mere promise to us - it is our company philosophy that we live day after day", this is how Wolfgang Neumann, CEO of Avis Germany, explains this excellent ranking. "Service quality is given top priority by every single one of our employees."

Further information on the competition: www.bestedienstleister.de (Website available in German only).





Remembering Warren Avis

Founder of Avis Rent A Car, Warren Avis passed away at the age of 92. He was an innovator and entrepreneur who left an indelible mark in American business as the founder of Avis Rent A Car. He died of natural causes at his home in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

A decorated bomber pilot with the U.S. Army Air Corps in World War II, Warren Avis opened the world’s first car rental location at Willow Run Airport in Detroit in 1946, followed by stations in Miami, Florida and Ypsilanti and Michigan, with an investment of $85,000. He started with two employees and fewer than 200 cars. Avis said he got the idea for the business when he was a pilot and was unable to find ground transportation at airports.

Avis became the nation's first company to rent cars at airport locations. During the 1950s, the company grew rapidly through franchised and corporate-owned expansion. Under Warren Avis' leadership, Avis Rent A Car introduced a number of innovative business practices, including national franchise licensing and enhanced customer service practices. In 1954, Avis sold his interest in the business for $8 million.

Born in Bay City, Michigan in 1915, Avis joined the military after completing his education. After selling the car-rental giant, Avis continued his entrepreneurial career and began converting rental properties to condominiums. In the 1970s, he founded Behavioural Science Training Laboratories Inc., which focused on human relations in business management. In later years, Avis ventured into other retail and technology businesses and was the author of seven books, including his 1986 business memoir "Take a Chance to be First," a chronicle of the Avis Rent A Car story.

We would like to express our condolences to the Avis family during this difficult time.