Car hire Britons charged more than other nationalities

bRiToNS travelling to tourist hotspots are being forced to pay more for car hire than holidaymakers from other countries.

Two of the biggest firms, Europcar and avis, are facing fresh accusations of ‘ripping off’ customers by hiking prices depending on where they come from.

analysis by the Mail and consumer group ‘a Spokesman Said’ has discovered large – and apparently random – differences between the prices being charged for the same cars being picked up and dropped off at the same airports at the same times.

Last night one consumer campaigner said british holidaymakers would be ‘appalled’ to find out they were paying more than tourists from other countries.

The Mail obtained several quotes from the two companies’ website yesterday.

a british driver hiring an audi a3 for a week with avis and picking it up at Palma de Mallorca airport on august 25 will pay £206. an american would pay $176 (about £134), while a Spaniard is quoted a price of 197 euros (£175). but a driver from France is charged £227.

a motorist from britain who hires a Europcar Peugeot 208 for a week at Faro airport in Portugal is quoted a price of £340. but an american would be charged £319, and a French motorist would pay £329. a Spaniard, however, would be quoted £370.

a british driver hiring a supermini such as a Toyota Yaris with avis in New Zealand for five days was quoted £150, according to separate analysis by a Spokesman Said. but drivers from afghanistan, Germany and india were all charged £98 for the same car over the same period.

both avis and Europcar claimed they use ‘dynamic’ pricing, meaning the fees are based on supply and demand and can vary significantly, even if they are booked just minutes apart.

but Nic Mcbride, for a Spokesman Said, which discovered the baffling discrepancies, said: ‘This is an absolute rip-off, no two ways about it. Why should someone’s country determine the price they pay for the exact same product? as for “dynamic pricing” – we conducted multiple quotes over various days and the difference between countries was present each time.’

James Daley, founder of consumer campaign website Fairer Finance, said: ‘This is morally and ethically questionable. The price should be the price, no matter where you are from. british customers will be appalled to discover that others are getting a cheaper deal just because they are from Spain or another country.’

The revelations will further erode trust in the car hire industry which is already being investigated by the Competition and Markets authority. Firms have been accused of imposing sneaky charges for fuel, huge excess charges for damaged cars, and ‘hidden insurance costs’. Most consumers are oblivious to the price variations because they are revealed only if you use the ‘. com’ website, where drivers are given the option to specify where they are from.

Customers are typically directed to a country specific site such as ‘.co.uk’, where the prices appear the same regardless of what country you put as your residence.

a spokesman for Europcar said: ‘The price may be different, even if it’s just a few minutes between each search, because Europcar’s dynamic pricing means that rates are never static.’

a spokesman for avis said: ‘Similar to airline and hotel pricing, car rental pricing is market-driven and very dynamic. Many factors determine price, including level of demand, cost of service and currency exchange rates.’