Spanish Car Rental Companies Face Fines in Excess of $3M
Following an investigation by the National Commission for Markets and Competition, 11 car rental companies were fined more than $3 million after an investigation of price fixing at several of Spain’s airports in conjunction with Aena and Aena Aeropuertos.
The National Commission for Markets and Competition (CNMC) fined 11 Spanish car rental companies more than $3 million combined following an investigation of price fixing through airport operator Aena and its subsidiary Aena Aeropuertos, who were fined more than $1.2 million, according to a report by Euro Weekly News. The price fixing took place in airports all over Spain.
Over a span of 13 years leading up to September 2012, the CNMC found that car rental companies exchanged commercially sensitive information with the ‘necessary collaboration’ of the airport operator, a forbidden practice that hinders free market competition in Spain’s car rental sector, says the report.
The rental companies facing fines include Hertz ($709,837), Europcar (over $1.17 million), Atesa ($756,339), Canary Islands ($176,433), Special Prices Auto Reisen ($65,650), Top Cars Auto Reisen ($43,766), Autos Cabrera Medina ($21,883), ) and Coral Car ($21,610), Payless Car ($17,301) and Owners Cars ($3,556).
Click here for the full Euro Weekly News article:
http://www.euroweeklynews.com/news/item/118304-car-rental-companies-and-aena-fined-for-car-rental-price-fixing
More Rental Operations
Car Rental Rates Forecast to Rise 3.6% in 2026 Before Easing in 2027
Car rental rates are projected to rise less than airfares and hotel rates in 2026, then become the only major travel category forecast to decline in 2027, according to projections from GBTA and ALTOUR.
Read More →
Avis Cuts Fleet as Summer Demand Trails Expectations
Avis Budget Group increased second-quarter earnings despite lower Americas revenue and softer-than-expected summer demand. The company also expanded Avis First and advanced its autonomous fleet operations with Waymo.
Read More →
Why Bookings Are Only the Start of the Rental Day
A reservation captures demand. The operating test is whether the business can keep the customer, vehicle, commercial terms, and next action aligned until the rental is closed.
Read More →
This Is the Oldest Car Rental Advertisement You’ll Ever See
This ad for Saunders Drive it Yourself, believed to be the first car rental company in the U.S., was found in an Omaha phone book from 1926.
Read More →
The Desk Upsell Is Costing Operators More Than it Earns
Counter upsells generate revenue, but they can also slow transactions, erode trust, and cost repeat business. Fully inclusive pricing may offer operators a better path to long-term value.
Read More →
U-Save Expands Indian Ocean Presence with New Master Franchise for Mauritius
The franchise has been acquired by Mauritian travel entrepreneur Umarfarooq Omarjee, an established figure in the island's tourism and mobility sector.
Read More →
Global Carsharing Fleet Projected to Reach 768,000 Vehicles By 2030
A new Berg Insight forecast outlines several business models driving the projected growth in public carsharing worldwide through 2029.
Read More →
Rental Car Fleet Sales Show Mid-Year Strength
June gains ensured rental fleets closed out the first half of 2026 in positive territory.
Read More →
Surprice Mobility Opens Corporate Rental Station at Milan Malpensa Airport
The Milan opening is part of Surprice Mobility's broader strategy to expand its corporate operations while increasing the use of technology across its network.
Read More →
Brazilian Executive MBA Targets Growing Domestic Rental Car Industry
Rental car companies face a unique combination of challenges that are rarely addressed in traditional programs.
Read More →