Car-rental firms treble prices at Christmas

CAR-HIRE companies are jacking up their prices over the Christmas period by up to three times their usual rates, forcing customers to pay up to €400 extra.

Five of the country’s leading car-rental firms increase their prices over Christmas and New Year by up to 225% from their kiosks at Dublin Airport, new figures show.

Yet at Belfast International Airport, prices from the same companies increase by a maximum of 57% over the festive season, consumer watchdogs said.

The price hikes mean consumers in the Republic would save up to €330 on a two-week rental by hiring a car in the North instead and driving down here.

Now the Consumers’ Association of Ireland is calling on car-hire firms to give Irish customers and tourists a better deal over the festive season.

“This situation is quite extraordinary — for the second year running we’ve looked at car hire prices at Christmas and found outrageous price hikes,” said CAI chief executive Dermott Jewell.

“It’s not that you’re getting anything more for your money or getting improved service even. The only thing that’s changing is the price. It’s a captive audience and a lot of tourists and people returning home for Christmas are being fleeced.”

The CAI also looked at prices from the same car-hire firms at Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport and found none increased their prices over Christmas.

CAI figures show car rental firms charge between €165.26 and €268 for their cheapest car for two weeks in early December from Dublin Airport.

Yet for a two-week rental for the same model from December 23 to January 5 the lowest price is €418.60 while the highest is €661.20.

The lowest rate of increase is 99% from Argus Car Hire, which normally charges €210.35 but hikes the price to €418.60 over the festive season.

The biggest rate of increase was 225% from Budget, which charges €165.26 in early December but €538.58 once Christmas comes.

CAI researchers also discovered consumers faced a blizzard of confusing extra charges, while prices varied greatly for rentals of a week or more compared to the cost of renting a car for a weekend only.