A family approach versus industrial giants: why we at Flying Dog choose quality and humanity over scale
Hello, friends!
My name is Yuriy, and my wife’s name is Elena. For almost 12 years, we have been jointly owning and managing the family business Flying Dog Motorhomes in Bratislava, with a branch in Vienna. We are engaged in motorhome rental (or, as they say, camper rental), as well as the sale of new and used motorhomes and their maintenance.
We are official dealers for several premium German brands that are part of the Erwin Hymer Group. Every year, we renew our fleet: we buy new motorhomes, use them for a couple of years in our motorhome rental business, and then sell them in excellent condition to customers throughout Europe.
Our business is not a corporation with thousands of employees and hundreds of branches. There are only two of us. And that is our conscious choice. Elena and I have divided up the responsibilities: I am in charge of the ‘hardware’ — purchasing, sales, repairs, equipment, and checking each vehicle before it is issued, while Elena takes care of the website, marketing, communication with authorities, finances, and documents. We are very busy, but at the same time, I believe that we are free — both physically and mentally. We do what we love: we help people discover the world.
I recently came across an article about how in Western Europe (and Central Europe too) people increasingly prefer small family businesses to huge chain giants — whether it’s grocery stores, cafes or services such as motorhome rental in Europe. And I thought: that’s us! Let me tell you why renting a motorhome from a small family business is not a compromise, but often the best choice.
I will write in the first person, as if we were sitting in our original office over a cup of coffee and just chatting — that’s how I communicate with my customers.
We know every motorhome literally ‘by sight’ and by name
Our fleet consists of 9–10 motorhomes for rent, which may seem small to some. For us, however, it is the ideal size. We buy each motorhome new, directly from premium German manufacturers (LMC, LAIKA, CARADO, and others), with top-of-the-line features: ONLY automatic transmission, ONLY a full safety package, powerful heating and cooling, etc.
Then I personally take care of retrofitting our campers:
- I install high-quality multimedia systems,
- mount a rear parking camera and parking sensors,
- install powerful climate control systems, install bike racks,
- and cover the motorhomes with protective and decorative film.
We don’t just prepare the motorhome for rental — we make it as if it were for ourselves. That’s why our customers often say, ‘This isn’t a 5-star camper, it’s a 7-star camper!’ And it’s true. On the website flying-dog.eu and on Google Maps, we have more than 210 five-star reviews — and these are all real words from real customers. One customer wrote:
‘Renting a motorhome was excellent — clean, fully equipped, nothing was missing. You are amazing, what you do is a great thing!’
Another wrote:
‘We rented a motorhome for the first time in 2016. Since then, we’ve rented one every year. The support from the owners has been exemplary from the very beginning. I recommend them to everyone!’
We remember names and faces, we remember who is going where, who is travelling with them and what their preferences are. It’s not just business — it’s a human touch.
Speaking of names, our motorhomes for rent are given names. Since our family has a connection to aviation, our motorhomes are named after letters of the aviation alphabet: Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, and so on. It’s a small thing, but all our customers refer to their campers as pets, and long-time customers specify in their next booking: ‘Please book Alpha for us.’
You don’t just call your dog ‘Dog,’ do you? Like, ‘Hey, Dog, how’s it going?’ No, your dog has a name because it has a soul. Our motorhomes also have a soul, which we put into them. I can say that with authority.
What is the difference between you and the large rental chains?
The big players — McRent, Indie Campers, Yescapa and others — operate on an industrial model: hundreds and thousands of vehicles, dozens of stations across Europe, a huge staff. This gives them advantages: a large selection, sometimes lower prices, sometimes the ability to pick up a vehicle in one city and drop it off in another. Cool. But there is a downside. You know how it is: you have to pay for everything in life.
When you have a huge fleet, it’s impossible to know every car in detail. When you have hundreds of employees, contact with customers becomes formal and sometimes even cold. Processes are optimised for speed and volume, not for an individual approach. Employees vary, some are conscientious and empathetic, while others are nervous and scandalous, as you know, right?
Here’s what people write in their reviews:
McRent — average rating on Trustpilot is around 3.7–4.0.
There are many complaints about:
- broken pumps and lack of water,
- dirty cars,
- problems with deposits,
- ‘nightmarish’ service instead of a holiday.
One customer said: ‘We were expecting a great holiday in New Zealand, but we got a nightmare because of McRent.’
Indie Campers — reviews are even more polarised. Trustpilot and Tripadvisor are full of stories:
- ‘Dirty, unsafe, lack of service,’
- mould on sheets, broken windows, hair in drains,
- ‘pathetic’ service and terrible communication.
One review: ‘Wouldn’t recommend it even to my worst enemy. Lack of safety, cleanliness and service.’
Of course, large companies also get positive reviews, especially when everything goes smoothly. But there are a lot of negative stories — and that’s no accident. When you’re one of thousands of customers, not a family friend, responsibility gets diluted.
Why do customers choose us again and again?
Because at Flying Dog, a customer is not a booking number, but a real person.
- We greet you with a sincere smile, offer you coffee, and tell you about the best routes in Slovakia, Austria, Croatia or Italy.
- We are available 24/7 — not through a robot, but personally.
- If something happens along the way, we solve it quickly: from advice over the phone to coming to the rescue (it happened once, ha ha, a person couldn’t lower the bed, funny? No, I had to drive 120 km to him).
- We are flexible: we change dates, add child seats or additional equipment without any questions asked.
Real stories:
- A family from Austria was travelling to Croatia when their battery died. I was on call and gave them a simple solution — they continued their journey without delay. They returned with gratitude: ‘Everything worked perfectly!’
- If it’s a couple with children, we always add extras (blankets, high chairs) at no extra charge if we see that they are needed. The result? Feedback: ‘Fantastic service, clean and comfortable.’
- A customer from Holland bought a two-year-old motorhome from us and still writes: ‘Thank you for your honesty and quality!’
- There was a case when we delivered a motorhome to Vienna airport at 4 a.m. You won’t get that at McRent.
- We accepted motorhomes at midnight when people NEEDED to. If it’s necessary, we’ll do it!
We don’t chase volume — what’s important to us is quality and long-term relationships.
A family business is a personal responsibility
Being a small family business means taking responsibility for every decision we make. There are no departments to hide behind. A mistake is our mistake. Success is our success.
Why is coffee more enjoyable in a cosy family (hmm, ‘family café’ already sounds cosy) Parisian café than at the Starbucks around the corner?
Why is a family-run pastry shop or bakery more comfortable than LIDL? Why is a private music teacher better than a state music school? Why does the 24-hour grocery store on the corner feel so ‘familiar,’ while at TESCO you can get lost and want to leave as soon as possible?
There is one answer for all these examples: because in each of these places you are a ‘unique individual,’ while at Tesco or Lidl or Starbucks you are just one of an endless stream of customers who almost never return.
That is why we do business that we are proud of. In a world where everything is becoming bigger and more impersonal, family businesses are an oasis of humanity. And people appreciate that.
We invite you to visit us at Flying Dog!
If you are looking not just for a motorhome rental, but a travel partner, come and see us.
We are located in Bratislava (Vyšehradská 7A) and Vienna, and we welcome you with open hearts.
- Campervan rental in Europe — from 7-day weekends to month-long adventures
- Rent a motorhome — with free delivery within a 50 km radius (for rentals of 15 days or more)
- Buy a motorhome — new and used in excellent condition
- Website: flying-dog.eu
- Phone: +421 902 109 847
- Email: caravan.fd@gmail.com
Travel with your soul!
We are always in touch — as friends, not as a corporation.
With warmth,
Yuriy and Elena
Flying Dog Karavany
Bratislava – Vienna
