A passenger’s experience with the newly introduced airport taxi service has sparked controversy online after he claimed he was quoted N30,000 for a trip from Lagos airport to Ikeja, compared with the N6,100 he eventually paid for an inDrive ride.
The passenger, identified as Chris, said he was accustomed to using Uber for journeys from the airport to Ikeja, with fares typically ranging between N6,000 and N8,000.
However, he said he was informed that Uber and other e-hailing services were no longer permitted to operate in the same manner at the airport, leaving passengers to use an alternative airport taxi service.
I heard that they recently banned Uber and other rides here at the airport. I normally go to Ikeja, which costs about N6,000 to N8,000 on Uber,” Chris said.
So they have this new ride that costs N30,000 to Ikeja.”
Unwilling to pay the N30,000 fare, Chris said he left the airport premises in search of another option.
He eventually booked an inDrive taxi outside the airport and paid N6,100 for the trip to his destination in Ikeja.
The experience has triggered reactions on social media, with users questioning the significant difference between the airport taxi fare and prices offered by other ride-hailing platforms.
One social media user, Eloho Johnson, also criticised the reported fare, saying a journey from the airport to a hotel in Ikeja that would ordinarily cost less than N8,000 on Uber was being quoted at N30,000 under the new arrangement.
The controversy comes amid ongoing discussions over the operation of e-hailing companies at Nigerian airports.
The development follows reports that Uber and Bolt had faced restrictions at some airports managed by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, pending the finalisation of licence arrangements with the authority.
FAAN subsequently clarified that it had not imposed a blanket ban on the ride-hailing companies.
In a statement issued on August 20, the authority said its position was aimed at ensuring that commercial transport operators within airport premises complied with safety, security, accountability and operational requirements.
FAAN explained that airports operate within a highly regulated environment and that commercial transport providers need an appropriate framework that allows the authority to maintain visibility over vehicles, drivers and operations.
The authority also said its Airport Car Hire Rank Management System, ACHRAMS, was not established to compete with or replace Uber, Bolt or other e-hailing platforms.
According to FAAN, ACHRAMS was introduced to provide operational visibility and tracking within airport premises, while also facilitating the management of applicable concession and related airport charges.
FAAN said it was engaging Uber, Bolt and other relevant e-hailing operators to develop a workable framework for their operations at airports.
The authority said the discussions were intended to address issues including passenger safety, security, accountability and the management of pick-up activities within airport premises.
FAAN also acknowledged that passengers could experience some inconvenience while discussions with the operators continued.
The authority expressed confidence that an agreement acceptable to all stakeholders would eventually be reached.
Meanwhile, the FAANTaxi app referenced by the passenger was reportedly available for download on major app stores when checked.
The reported N30,000 fare has nevertheless raised fresh questions among passengers and social media users about the cost of airport transportation and whether the new arrangements could make journeys from Nigerian airports significantly more expensive for travellers.
