It seems like no matter how many times taxi drivers get caught overcharging passengers at the airport, they don’t stop doing it.
This time it was popular American food vlogger Mikey Chen who documented his experience getting overcharged by a taxi at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA)who posted a video about it on Sunday.
Chen posted on his YouTube page how he and his companions were told to get in the cab before the driver would tell him how much the fare cost.
“I knew this was going to happen,” Chen said in the video.
“We went to Terminal 3 for some reason by mistake, and we’re going to Terminal 4, and they’re charging us PHP2,300 (US$43.96) to go to one terminal,” he said in the video.
Chen said his fare from his hotel to the airport was only PHP400(US$8).
“So don’t ever take this company if you’re in the airport. This is like, crazy. This is robbery right here,” he said.
He pointed out that the ride that cost him PHP400 was an hour, while the PHP2,300 fare between terminals was only a few minutes.
Chen said in the video that they reported the taxi driver to the police. They then told him that the fare should have cost him no more than PHP200(US$4).
While Chen was understandably angry at the cab driver, he mentioned that the police officers were “beyond courteous.”
“Also, I just want to say, the officers were beyond courteous. That was a not so great situation but they were so nice and friendly, it’s pretty awesome,” Chen said.
The incident caught the attention of Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) General Manager Ed Monreal, who told ABS-CBN News they have already arrested the taxi driver who scammed Chen.
“Our personnel were able to catch the taxi in the garage, the driver also surfaced tonight,” Monreal told DZMM radio yesterday.
He also said he had informed the LTFRB of the incident. “The vehicle will be impounded,” Monreal said in the same interview.
The video was only posted on Sunday, but the actual incident happened in January and now has over 240,000 views.
The cab company was identified as Easy Taxi and Monreal said all 35 of their units have been banned from operating at the airport.
Monreal said no taxi companies should be asking airport passengers for fixed rates.
“They’re doing their own rates and showing it to passengers. They try to tell them that these have been approved by the airport. We haven’t approved any modus like that and people should only pay what’s on the meter,” he explained.
Hardly anyone would disagree that the practice of overcharging passengers should stop, but operators share as much of the blame for this practice as the drivers.
Under current systems, drivers find themselves chasing up to PHP1,500 (US$30) a day, the amount most drivers must pay to the taxi firm before keeping anything for themselves. This is often the reason that forces many cab drivers to be “choosy” about their passengers or to ask them to pay more than the metered fare.
READ: OPINION: Dear LTFRB, stop holding Metro Manila commuters hostage
Filipino American YouTuber Haley Dasovich also documented her experience with getting overcharged by a taxi driver when she arrived at the airport this month. The driver also lectured her when she requested he turn on the meter.
Monreal said earlier this month that he’s considering banning white taxis altogether if the problem of overcharging continues.
with a report from DZMM/ABS-CBN News
