Car rental companies benefit from families who are dying to reunite over Christmas by keeping prices soaring

Car rental companies benefit from families who are dying to reunite over Christmas by increasing their prices seven times.

Many travelers without a car have rented vehicles to see their loved ones.

This is the demand in the five days of Christmas, when up to three households can live. Many rental companies seem to run out of vehicles. And the few cars that are available come at sky-high prices.

The cheapest option, available from the Avis London Victoria office from December 23-27, is £ 1,230.

The cheapest car in the same period a week earlier, December 16-20, is £ 165 – one seventh the price.

In the crucial five days over Christmas, Sixt appears to have run out of vehicles in London. The closest branch with available cars is at Southampton Airport.

Hertz and Avis have extremely limited availability in the capital and in locations across the UK. Many branches are closed.

Europcar’s prices from December 23rd to 27th will be 91 to 400 percent more expensive than the week before.

The company’s Bristol South office charges £ 417 for a car over Christmas, up from £ 93 a week earlier.

At Manchester Airport, Christmas prices start at £ 304 – a 163 percent increase from the cheapest cars available a week earlier at £ 115.

And the cost of a car from Sixt’s Reading and Newcastle branches more than doubled over Christmas.

Martyn James of the Resolver complaint site accused landlords of “making a profit” during the pandemic.

He said, “Railroad companies do a pretty good job of keeping their prices relatively fair and balanced so that people can see their loved ones.

The cheapest option, available from the Avis London Victoria office from December 23-27, is £ 1,230. (Picture from a picture agency)

‘But the high prices charged by landlords leave a very unpleasant taste in the mouth.

“There is no excuse for this level of profit, especially in the face of the pandemic.”

Under travel restrictions, trains can only carry around 45 percent of their usual passenger numbers to allow for social distancing.

The Ministry of Transport has agreed to run more trains on Christmas Eve, while rail operators have promised to extend the carriages.

In the meantime, Highways England will lift 778 miles of restrictions on motorways and A-roads across England to allow traffic.

Councils are also urged to stop the road works after the AA warned of the potential for local growls.

An Avis spokesman said it reduced its fleet this year due to lower demand for rental cars.

Europcar said that during high seasons like Christmas and Easter, “prices are likely to rise closer to the booking date”.

Sixt was asked to comment.