EASYJET is planning to launch its on-line car-rental operation, EasyRentaCar, early next year.
A spokesman said the group is currently in talks with a number of possible suppliers that would lease new vehicles from manufacturers and sell on used rental cars.
“We are talking to anyone in the business that can offer reliable family cars such as a Ford Escort or Renault Megane but we are unlikely to work with an existing car-rental company,” he added.
“We hope to start early next year but it hangs on our talks. We will need a fleet of at least 2,000 cars.”
EasyRentaCar is likely to be set up first in the UK, followed by Holland and Geneva, where EasyJet Switzerland is based, but the plan is to offer cars in every destination served by the airline and undercut existing rental companies by about one-third.
“I dispute claims that car hire is already low cost as rates are marked up to pay a cut to travel agents,” said the spokesman.
Cars, bookable over the Internet only, will cost from £9 a day. The airline takes more than 20,000 on-line bookings a week.