17.Sep.2009 HospitalityLawyer Stephen Barth: Avis Budget Group Smoke-Free Fleet Big Step for Smoke-Free Challenge

Earlier this month, Avis Budget Group, Inc. announced that beginning in October 2009, its entire fleet will be smoke free.  Avis Budget Group operates Avis and Budget rental cars.

The company has instituted a new inspection process, and a cleaning fee will be assessed if a vehicle is returned with a tobacco odor or residue, guaranteeing each vehicle is clean and smoke-free.

When he learned of the Avis and Budget smoke-free fleet, Hospitality Lawyer Stephen Barth said, “This is a big step for the smoke-free challenge.  Every hospitality segment in the world, whether hotel, restaurant, or rental car company, should be smoke-free.  Inside and out.  It is the right thing to do for your employees and your guests, for your risk tolerance, for your property, and for your bottom line.”

In December 2007, Stephen Barth issued a challenge to the entire hospitality industry to go smoke-free.