Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz Waive Drop-Off Fees

Four major car rental companies today announced they are waiving drop-off surcharges, should travelers' flights be canceled as a result of the war with Iraq.

Avis Rent a Car, Budget Rent a Car, Enterprise Rent a Car and Hertz Corp. said the special policy will take effect once the U.S. Department of Transportation formally suspends air travel. One-way surcharges can range from $20 to more than $100.

At Avis, for example, drop-off fees will be waived for vehicles that already have been rented and are returned to different cities. For new reservations, the company will remove limits on the number of cars it allocates for one-way use.

"The only other time the industry has done this was after the September 2001 terrorist attacks, which set a kind of precedent," said Jon LeSage, vice president and director of research for Abrams Travel Data Services in Long Beach, Calif. "There's no question it's a valuable public service, especially if you think of travelers who are fearful they won't be able to get home in an emergency."