Chennai Airport News: AAI Warns Cab Drivers Over Fare Extortion and Ride Cancellations
Chennai Airport News
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has issued a stern warning to cab aggregator services and taxi drivers operating at Chennai International Airport. Officials stated that drivers found canceling confirmed rides, demanding inflated fares, or bypassing official app rates could face permanent blacklisting and be barred from entering the airport premises.
The direct intervention comes after a surge in public complaints from incoming air passengers regarding unethical practices by drivers operating at the designated airport pick-up zones Frequent Overcharging and Ride Refusals
Passengers arriving at Chennai airport have repeatedly voiced frustration over drivers refusing to honor the fares listed on popular booking apps. Many travelers report that drivers routinely negotiate arbitrary prices or demand offline cash transactions to avoid app commissions.
- Arbitrary Pricing: Travelers have reported drivers quoting prices nearly double the estimated app fare. A passenger arriving from Bengaluru shared on social media that local drivers completely ignored app pricing, leaving him stranded for 45 minutes after he refused to pay inflated fees.
- Cash and Direct Transfers: Drivers are also demanding direct money transfers to personal UPI accounts or upfront cash payments before agreeing to start the ride.
- Extortionate Rates During Distress: Vulnerable passengers often feel forced to comply or walk out of the terminal. One traveler returning from a family funeral shared that a driver demanded ₹750 for a ride to Mugalivakkam when the app displayed ₹450, forcing him to abandon the cab and find an auto-rickshaw outside the premises.
Air travelers are urging airport authorities and traffic police to establish tighter oversight over taxi aggregators. Demands include enforcing fixed penalties for ride rejections and conducting random inspections at the pickup plazas.
In response, the AAI has signaled that cab aggregator companies must keep their driver partners in line. Drivers who repeatedly fail to abide by digital app pricing risk losing their airport operational permits permanently.
Ajeet Yadav is an aviation enthusiast covering airline news, airports, aircraft, and industry developments through well-researched and reliable reporting.
