TULSA, Okla. -- Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group announced that Car & Fly GmbH, the company's master franchisee for the Thrifty Car Rental brand in Germany for more than a year, recently opened a location serving Munich's airport.

"The new location serving Munich Airport International represents Car & Fly GmbH's commitment to expanding Thrifty's presence in Germany," said Peter Guptill, DTG executive vice president - international. "It is also a critical gateway serving inbound leisure and business customers and an important market for those traveling from North America."

Car & Fly GmbH operates Thrifty locations serving airports in Frankfurt, Dusseldorf and Munich and 20 suburban locations. Plans are being negotiated to add three more airports and 50 suburban locations over the next five years through a mix of corporate stores owned by Hubert Terstappen and licensees.

Based in Duisburg, Car & Fly GmbH is owned by Terstappen -- a longtime car rental operator in Germany. He began his career in the car rental business after taking over his parents' seven-car fleet which, at the time, was based in a small garage. The company now employs more than 300 full- and part-time workers and has a fleet of 2,000 cars.

"Our carefully planned growth strategies include opening a mix of corporately owned and franchised locations, distributing the Thrifty Car Rental name throughout strategic locations across Germany," Terstappen said.