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Home / Travel

Covid 19 coronavirus: Hundreds of rental cars parked in Queenstown

By Matthew Mckew
Otago Daily Times·
20 Apr, 2020 06:21 PM2 mins to read

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Some of the hundreds of rental vehicles now in storage behind Queenstown airport. Photo / Stephen Jaquiery

Some of the hundreds of rental vehicles now in storage behind Queenstown airport. Photo / Stephen Jaquiery

Hundreds of rental cars are parked up at Queenstown Airport and Remarkables Park, as the Covid-19 pandemic puts a brake on business.

Lockdown stalled any chance of rental cars being allowed out, with only essential travel permitted.

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It has meant the fleets of rental cars usually seen around Otago have been parked up.

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Act Now Car Rentals owner Norm Fagg, of Queenstown, said it was a matter of waiting.

"It has done everything it possibly can to me. I am just a one-man band."

He said he had two cars out when lockdown was called and one car was stranded outside Christchurch, with the Swedish renters intending to fly home when possible.

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website

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Act Now has a fleet of 35 cars, which would normally be in high demand.

"All the people I had have cancelled, so I have no future revenue in the foreseeable future."

He said Alert Level 2 would enable him to get back to work, but he questioned who would be able to afford to rent a car or go away, with many in Queenstown potentially losing their jobs or having reduced income.

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