Why Is The Channel Islands Full To Empty?

No one likes the full to empty policy that is commonly seen in places such as Spain, it’s when you pick up the car with a full tank of petrol and have to bring it back as close to empty as possible. However the Channel Islands are different in this respect and have a reason for operating in this manor, they have also done what they can to try and ensure that you don’t have to spend any extra money.

The two main locations in the Channel Islands are Guernsey Airport and Jersey Airport and they both operate in similar ways….

Guernsey Airport –
When you hire a car at Guernsey Airport it is given to you with a tank which is worth £25 and you will be charged £5 per day for fuel no matter how much that you use which is limited at 5 days for the £25. Therefor we advise you if you are renting the vehicle for a short amount of time you use as much fuel possible to make full use of your £5.

Jersey Airport –
Their operation is much simpler, they supply you with a quarter of a tank of fuel which changes in price depending on the size of car usually around £10-£20 at the max, for an example a quarter of a tank in a Ford Fiesta is £13. You have to use this fuel by the time you return the car which shouldn’t be too difficult.

The reason the companies at the Channel Islands have to operate in this way is because the company that they lease the cars from are on a different Island from the airport. The reason this is problematic is because the ship that carries the cars back and forth doesn’t want the cars to be full of fuel for safety reasons.

If you do want further information on renting a car in the Channel Islands then please call us directly on +44 (0)113 880 0748 or email us at sales@thealternativeagency.co.uk.