Description of Conduct

A group of car rental operators seek authorisation to collectively bargain with Cairns Airport in relation to the acquisition of airport space associated with the provision of car rental services at Cairns Airport. The Applicants include Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Thrifty, Avis and Enterprise (the Applicants). Redspot Head Office Pty Ltd, trading as Enterprise, Alamo, National and Redspot, previously part of the Applicant group, has withdrawn its request for authorisation.  

On 13 February 2020, the ACCC granted interim authorisation to enable the Applicants to engage in the initial stages of collective negotiations with Cairns Airport. Interim authorisation extends to potentially agreeing to ‘holdover’ existing agreements but does not extend to the Applicants entering into any new agreements with Cairns Airport. 

On 8 May 2020, the ACCC revoked the interim authorisation. This follows a request from the Applicants to extend the timeframe for considering the application for authorisation by 6 months and to delay the pre-decision conference due to the impact of COVID-19 on their respective businesses. The ACCC decided to extend the period for the application for authorisation by 6 months. Further details about the ACCC’s decision to revoke interim authorisation are provided in the decision document below.  

On 23 June 2020 the Applicants withdrew their application for authorisation. Please see the ‘Applicants to ACCC re Withdrawal of Application’ document below for further details. Consequently, the pre-decision conference that was adjourned on 30 April 2020 will not re-convene.

28 November 2019

Lodgement of application and supporting submission.

3 December 2019

Public consultation process begins.

17 December 2019

Closing date for submissions from interested parties.

13 February 2020

Interim authorisation decision.

February 2020

Applicant responds to issues raised in the public consultation process.

26 March 2020

Draft determination.

9 April 2020

Deadline for submissions

9 April 2020

Pre-decision conference called

30 April 2020

Pre-decision conference adjourned

8 May 2020

The ACCC extended timeframe for application for a period of 6 months and revoked interim authorisation

23 June 2020

The Applicants withdrew their application for authorisation. Consequently, the pre-decision conference that was adjourned on 30 April 2020 will not re-convene.

Applicant(s)

  • Budget Rent a Car Australia Pty Ltd
  • Redspot Head Office Pty Ltd trading as Enterprise, Alamo, National and Redspot
  • Kingmill Pty Ltd trading as Thrifty Car Rental and Dollar Car Rental
  • WTH Pty Ltd trading as Avis Australia
  • CLA Trading Pty Ltd trading as Europcar
  • Hertz Australia Pty Limited

Authorisation number(s)

  • AA1000460-1