No-Show Car Rental Fee Being Tested

You book a hotel room then for whatever reason don't show up: Hotel charges you a penalty. You book an airline ticket and don't catch your flight: You still get charged for the flight. But book a car rental and don't pick up your wheels: No big deal; reservation is cancelled with usually no penalty to you. That may be about to change.

According to BTNonline, Avis Budget group is testing, in a few small markets, what they call non-cancellation fees, for customers who book a car rental and never pick it up or call to cancel. It works in the airline and hotel industry - why not car rentals? Certainly other car rental agencies will be closely monitoring how much revenue might be generated and/or pushback from customers by imposing such a fee.