DAILY rental companies in Norway have developed an innovative, co-operative approach to serving Oslo's new airport.

The five major companies - Hertz, Avis, Budget, Europcar and Statoil - with on-airport locations have set up a joint venture operation to provide hire car turnaround facilities at the airport.

This facility will wash and valet cars at the end of their rental period, change any tyres that need to be replaced, and refuel vehicles prior to their next rental. It also provides storage facilities for up to 500 cars.

Leif Nyboe, secretary general of the Norwegian Car Rental Association, said the co-operation of the competing rental companies only extended to the turnaround facility, and that they maintained their own counters in the airport terminals and operated their own fleets from their own parking lots. (May 2000)