Hertz business as usual in Asia

The short-term self-drive global vehicle rental industry, of which Hertz is a key player, has been deeply impacted around the world by the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent downturn in domestic and international travel.

However, Hertz said in a statement that, it continues to operate as normal in Asia apart from the developments in the US and Canada which has no impact on Asian operations.

Asia includes operations in Singapore, Sri Lanka, Guam, Saipan, Thailand, Malaysia, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Brunei, Pakistan, Cambodia, Vietnam, Macao, Japan, the Philippines, Korea and India.

Eoin MacNeill, Hertz’s Vice President, APAC, said in the statement, that the decision by Hertz Global Holdings and certain of its US and Canadian subsidiaries to voluntarily file for reorganization under Chapter 11 in the US courts has no material impact on Hertz operations in Asia which each operate under franchise arrangements.

The term ‘Chapter 11’ is specific to the US legal environment and describes the move by a company to file for protection while management works on a financial restructure. It does not equate to bankruptcy, in the sense that many people understand that word, the statement said.

Mr. MacNeill said that customers can expect the same high level of service and reliability with enhanced cleaning protocols for extra peace of mind and Hertz loyalty programme points and rewards are not affected.

“It’s business as usual for Hertz in Asia. Hertz locations are open across the APAC (Asia Pacific) region and ready to help customers with their rental needs – whether for business or leisure purposes. All Hertz reservation, loyalty and customer programmes continue to operate, including Hertz Gold Plus Rewards as well as our rewards, coupon and voucher programmes.

“Since the pandemic began, we have undertaken a range of measures to reduce costs and ensure we keep the business as robust as possible. We have cut all discretionary spending, reduced labour costs and sought new rental agreements with landlords. We have also been de-fleeting our network, and de-registering unused vehicles,” he said.