Following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in Europe, there has been a slump in demand for car hire across the continent. Spain has been badly hit by the virus and has only recently begun to emerge from lockdown and open up businesses and shops for domestic customers.
Though it may be while before travel is encouraged between European countries, car hire companies are changing the way that they operate to ensure the safety of both their staff and customers and they are prepared for when borders open up and demand increases. We have reached out to the Spanish car rental firms on our panel to find out what they are doing to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
- Alamo and Enterprise - Team members will adopt the following practices in response to coronavirus:
- Limiting the number of employees in a location, using social distancing between staff and customers.
- Colleagues are frequently washing hands and disinfecting touchable surfaces whilst also minimising customer interaction at vehicle pickup or delivery.
- Alamo and Enterprise Cars and Vans will, as well as being vacuumed and wiped-down, be cleaned using a disinfectant to sanitise key areas between every rental as follows. Key & key fob, centre consoles, cup holders & compartments and areas between seat/console & seat/doorjambs, dashboard, instrument panels, steering wheel and column, accessory panel, door interior, handles (interior and exterior) and pockets, mirrors and other high touch areas.
- Measures are also in place to immediately isolate and quarantine any vehicle if needed.
- AVIA have implemented the following in response to coronavirus:
- Staff are washing their hands frequently and hand sanitiser is on the counters available to customers.
- Staff are wearing faces masks and counters are being cleaned using alcohol based disinfectant and cleaning products.
- Rental vehicles are being cleaned thoroughly with alcohol based disinfectants and cleaning products.
- Centauro have implemented the following in response to coronavirus:
- Centauro have increased their cleaning of vehicles to ensure all areas are thoroughly cleaned.
- A sticker goes across the driver door stating that the car has been disinfected and is coronavirus free. If the sticker is broken then the customer will know that someone has opened the door after it has been cleaned.
- Click Rent have implemented the following in response to coronavirus:
- Face masks and gloves have been provided for the use staff.
- All employees are following protocol and maintaining social distancing. Employees are not permitted to touch customers ‘personal belongings'.
- Dispensers with antiseptic hand gel and disposable antiseptic wet wipes are available for both staff and customers to use.
- Before being rented, all vehicles are treated by internal spraying with a bioactive product to ensure complete disinfection.
- Del Paso have implemented the following in response to coronavirus:
- Hand sanitiser dispensers have been installed in Del Paso's offices.
- Vehicles are being cleaned with an Ozone generator and the interior and surfaces are being disinfected with an 70% alcohol product.
- Europcar have implemented the following in response to coronavirus:
- Vehicles will be subject to rigorous cleaning measures after each rental, as well as a 'zero contact' policy with Europcar Mobility Group employees in stations in response to coronavirus.
- Mocar have implemented the following in response to coronavirus:
- Special procedures have been introduced to ensure deep cleaning is effective.
- Gloves and masks are used at all times and when vehicles are left for pickup at the airport, the key will be left in the ignition meaning there will have been no human contact post cleaning.
- OK Rent a Car have implemented the following in response to coronavirus:
- Mandatory use of mask and gloves for staff cleaning vehicles.
- Cleaning the interior (handles, window controls, steering wheel, dashboard, buttons etc) with disinfectant and using an Ozone machine on the interior.
- The exterior of the vehicle is also deeply cleaned.
- Their offices are being cleaned in both the morning and at midday, with special attention paid to the common areas, alcohol based sanitiser is available for both staff and customers.
- Shuttle buses are cleaned 2 or 3 times a day, this includes cleaning of the interior of the vehicle and use of an Ozone machine.
- Masks and gloves are mandatory.
Though you may not be planning a trip for the immediate future, the measures outlined give an indication of how the future may look for car hire in Spain and indeed further afield. The above may also help you to make a decision on which rental firm you would like to use when travel returns to normality.
