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Melbourne Airport is testing a new fixed-fare taxi booking system to make it “simpler and safer” for passengers to reach their destinations.
The airport has partnered with taxi dispatcher A2B, which supports 13cabs, Silver Top, Black and White, and Silver Service, to install three kiosks this month at the Qantas domestic terminal, which will allow passengers to pre-book taxis for a guaranteed fare.
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Passengers can input their destination address and pay the fixed fare upfront, then show the receipt to a driver waiting in a dedicated bay.
“Taxi touts rip off passengers and deprive honest drivers of work, so we’re doing everything in our power to stamp out the practice,” said Melbourne Airport chief of ground transport, property and retail, Jai McDermott.
“People shouldn’t have to haggle with a cabbie over a fare or their destination when they come to the airport, and this trial aims to eliminate that pain point.
“Our hope is that this trial will add a sense of security and certainty to the process of catching a cab from the airport.”
A spokesperson for A2B said the trial will “help ensure a smoother, more professional experience for everyone using taxis at Melbourne Airport”.
“We know that the vast majority of drivers are honest, hardworking professionals providing excellent service. But unfortunately, it only takes a few doing the wrong thing to damage public trust,” he said.
“That’s why 13cabs, Silver Service, Silver Top, and Black and White taxis are proud to be part of the ‘Taxi Booking Kiosk’ rollout, which sets clear expectations from the moment a passenger steps up to the rank.
“It’s about fairness, accountability, and making taxi travel as seamless as possible.”
The move by Melbourne Airport follows the announcement last month of fixed $60 taxi fares from Sydney Airport to the CBD, with a 12-month trial aiming to address a raft of complaints about passengers being “ripped off” with exorbitant charges.
Since a Taxi Fare Hotline was launched in November 2022, the NSW Point to Point Commissioner has issued more than 1,100 fines to taxi drivers, including one who was slugged $2,000 for refusing to turn on the meter and charging a family $188.76 from the international terminal to a CBD hotel.
