The Association of Car-Rental Industry Systems Standards body is looking to introduce a code of conduct for companies selling car hire over the Internet.
ACRISS chairman Kieran Maloney said it is important to make sure every company uses the same descriptions when posting details of car rental on the Web.
“For instance, if a car is described as medium or large it should be the same type of vehicle so people know what they are buying and can make a true comparison between products,” added Maloney, who is also Avis reservations director.
ACRISSwas set up 10 years ago by the major car-rental companies and the global distribution systems to set standards for the selling of car rental over the GDSs.
It has also introduced a uniform car rental voucher and helped to train agents on booking car hire on GDSs.
Maloney said it was not simply a case of transferring ACRISS’ GDS code of conduct to the Internet.
“Because the GDSs are members of ACRISS, they are working with us to ensure that the descriptions are fair and equitable.
“The Internet is less controlled and organised and there are several travel providers that we need to work with to make sure standards are met.
“We may be able to transfer some solutions, but there are other requirements that need to be looked at.”
Maloney said there was no timetable for achieving the new standards.
But he added: “The Internet is here to stay and individual companies are developing their sites, so we must start to look at these issues.”