The global car rental giant Hertz, in crisis due to the consequences of the coronavirus, has filed for bankruptcy in the United States and Canada. The company announced it in a statement. "The impact of COVID-19 on the shift demand has been sudden and dramatic, causing a sharp drop in the company's revenue and future bookings," he said in a press release. Operations in other areas, including Europe, Australia and New Zealand, are not included in the Chapter 11 filing in the United States.
Hertz claims to have taken "immediate action" to protect the health and safety of its employees and customers and to have eliminated "all non-essential expenses". "However - the note explains -, uncertainties remain on the return of income and on the complete reopening of the market, which made today's action necessary". On April 21, Hertz had cut 10,000 jobs in North America, or 26.3% of its global workforce, in an attempt to conserve liquidity in view of the uncertainties resulting from the pandemic. The use of 'Chapter 11' is a device that allows a company that can no longer repay its debt to reorganize itself away from creditors. "The financial reorganization will provide Hertz with a path to a more solid financial structure that will better position the company for the future," concludes the note. Franchise sites that do not belong to the company are also excluded from the procedure.