Macquarie rip off Sydneysiders again

[kamchatsky]

Airport's cab fees to take off - Travel - smh.com.au

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Airport's cab fees to take off

June 20, 2007




SYDNEY Airport passengers will have to pay an extra 50 cents for a taxi from next month, a move expected to swell the Macquarie-controlled airport's coffers an extra $1.5 million a year.

The airport said yesterday it would increase its ground transport access fee for taxis to $2.50 on July 1. It will be automatically passed on to passengers.
"It's the first increase since 2004," said an airport spokesman, Michael Samaras.
The airport says the $2 fee has led to improvements for drivers, such as a larger taxi holding area, taxi rank supervisors, chilled water dispensers and a meeting room. Many of these improvements would have continuing costs for maintenance and staffing, Mr Samaras said.
But the president of the Taxi Drivers Association, Michael Jools, called the increase a "Macquarie rip-off".
"Nobody is getting anything out of it," he said, estimating 10,000 taxis used the airport a day.
Sydney Airport said the figure was 8000. This would mean the airport would still make $7.3 million each year from the new surcharge. This does not include the $10.50 levied on coaches from July 1, $3 for hire cars and $3.50 for mini-buses.
Mr Jools said that while the toll had led to the introduction of cold water dispensers and a prayer room for drivers, there were no shelters and inadequate message boards for them.
Car park and transport access charges have become a big money-spinner for the airport. In the three months to March 31 it made an estimated $23 million in revenue from its car parks alone.
The head of the NSW Taxi Council, Howard Harrison, said the toll had led to improvements.
Scott Rochfort

 

[JohnK]

A 0.50 cent increase isn't much on its own but combined with any other costs increasing, time and kilometre rates, and the taxi fare gets very expensive.

I am lucky I live close to the airport, ~$25 to international and ~$32 to domestic, so these types of increases do not have much impact. Overall we are still much better off than the US or Europe.

 

[NM]

A 0.50 cent increase isn't much on its own but combined with any other costs increasing, time and kilometre rates, and the taxi fare gets very expensive.

The "extras" added onto the cab fares in Sydney are getting to be like the +++ for airfares. A few weeks ago, my cab fare for a 20 min trip from SYD T3 to North Ryde cost $73.70. That included $7.30 for GM Cabs for processing the credit card (similar to Cabcharge) and over $10 in tolls and airport charges. Now the trip is certainly faster now that the new tunnel is open, but the number displayed on the meter has little reflection of the reality of what will be billed on the credit card.

 

[serfty]

OT:

You can't take a Taxi past the Formule1 Hotel at MEL without being up for at least $10.

$3.30 Toll, $2.20 Airport Pickup, $3.60 Flag Fall, $1 for 800 meters.

 

[JohnK]

The "extras" added onto the cab fares in Sydney are getting to be like the +++ for airfares.

....but the number displayed on the meter has little reflection of the reality of what will be billed on the credit card.

Reminds me a little of Kuala Lumpur. If I remember correctly the receipt has up to 5 surcharges. I vaguely remember separate charges like hire fee, luggage charge, tolls(?), airport fee on top of the fare on the meter.

 

[NM]

Reminds me a little of Kuala Lumpur. If I remember correctly the receipt has up to 5 surcharges. I vaguely remember separate charges like hire fee, luggage charge, tolls(?), airport fee on top of the fare on the meter.

Only if you took the Teksi from KLIA to the city :shock: . I have only once not used the KLIA Ekspress train from the airport and that was when heading to PJ and not into KL. That time I had a driver arranged and it cost 100 Ringgit, while the train costs 35 Ringgit. To KL, the train is faster, cheaper and probably safer (the way most teksi drivers drive in KL).

There really isn't anywhere within KL itself that will cost any more than 20 Ringgit, which is about $8. The difficulty can be to find a teksi driver willing to use the meter. When a driver uses the meter I tip handsomely (usually I double the fare) and its still likely to be only 10 Ringgit!

 

[tscharke]

i dont see any issue in this....I would pay an extra $10 for a taxi ride just as long as it gets me home asap after a long haul flight!!!

 

[NM]

i dont see any issue in this....I would pay an extra $10 for a taxi ride just as long as it gets me home asap after a long haul flight!!!

But in my case I was going home. I was going to the office which means work. I don't necessarily want to pay more to get to work quicker .

I just have a belief that we pay enough in taxes towards road infrastructure costs and that the ever increasing application of user-pays for all new major road constructions is getting out of control.

 

[auriga]

But in my case I was going home. I was going to the office which means work.

you must be working too hard!!

 

[JohnK]

Only if you took the Teksi from KLIA to the city :shock:.

Teksis from KLIA are a little more expensive than returning to KLIA. December 2004 teksi from KLIA to Concorde Hotel, Shah Alam was MYR57.80 which was a standard price. On return to airport later in the week the teksi was MYR46.50, much cheaper, but I remember that there was about 5 separate items on the receipt which included what I mentioned earlier. We used a teksi the night before and booked him to be at hotel the next day at 7am for my colleague and at 1pm for me. I find Protons, especially ones sold in SE Asia, very uncomfortable but this teksi was OK.

There really isn't anywhere within KL itself that will cost any more than 20 Ringgit, which is about $8. The difficulty can be to find a teksi driver willing to use the meter. When a driver uses the meter I tip handsomely (usually I double the fare) and its still likely to be only 10 Ringgit!

Now you mention it I do remember going to factory in Shah Alam which was only 5-10 minutes from hotel and teksi refused to switch on meter. All they asked for was MYR10, ~A$4 at the time, which is not a big deal.

 

[oz_mark]

The airport says the $2 fee has led to improvements for drivers, such as a larger taxi holding area, taxi rank supervisors, chilled water dispensers and a meeting room. Many of these improvements would have continuing costs for maintenance and staffing, Mr Samaras said.
But the president of the Taxi Drivers Association, Michael Jools, called the increase a "Macquarie rip-off".
"Nobody is getting anything out of it," he said, estimating 10,000 taxis used the airport a day.

Certainly doesn't seem much in it for the consumer that is paying the fee.

 

[NM]

Teksis from KLIA are a little more expensive than returning to KLIA. December 2004 teksi from KLIA to Concorde Hotel, Shah Alam was MYR57.80 which was a standard price.

Then KLIA Ekspress was really not a viable option for you, as it was not the time I wast staying at PJ rather than in KL itself.

Now you mention it I do remember going to factory in Shah Alam which was only 5-10 minutes from hotel and teksi refused to switch on meter. All they asked for was MYR10, ~A$4 at the time, which is not a big deal.

The meter fare would likely have been under 4 Ringgit1 Its amazing how slowly the meter ticks over. Generally teksis that are flagged down while driving will use the meter while a teksi that is waiting by the side of the road will want to negotiate the fare. When a driver uses the meter I am always generous with the tip. Last week I flagged down a moving teksi right next to a line of waiting teksis. I know the waiting drivers would ask 15 Ringget for where I was going and I could negotiate down to 10 Ringgit. So when the meter came to about 4 Ringget I was happy to hand the driver 10 Ringget and went to get out of the cab. He asked if I had anything smaller! I said he could keep the change and I thanked him for being honest and using the meter. I think I made his day!

 

[kpc]

Last week I flagged down a moving teksi right next to a line of waiting teksis. I know the waiting drivers would ask 15 Ringget for where I was going and I could negotiate down to 10 Ringgit. So when the meter came to about 4 Ringget I was happy to hand the driver 10 Ringget and went to get out of the cab. He asked if I had anything smaller! I said he could keep the change and I thanked him for being honest and using the meter. I think I made his day!

In KL, taxis will almost always try and fix a (higher) price for Westerners, but will often use the meter for locals (I can often pass for one). Recently, I had to go from Westin KL to Shangri La KL, a distance of maybe 1.5-2 kms...the first taxi wanted a flat rate of 5 ringgit,and refused to used the meter. Out of principle, I hoped into the next one, and he used the meter...it came to 6.50 ringgitt:evil:. Too smart for my own good...

A 6 Ringgit tip NM is a lot for the local taxi driver - most locals would give exactly 4 ringgit, and your tip is basically enough to pay for his meals for the whole day!! (eating at the right places, of course!!)

 

[NM]

A 6 Ringgit tip NM is a lot for the local taxi driver - most locals would give exactly 4 ringgit, and your tip is basically enough to pay for his meals for the whole day!! (eating at the right places, of course!!)

Exactly. And I was happy to be generous since he was good enough to just use the meter without trying to rip me off. And I let him know that was the reason for my generosity. I like to be generous and I don't like people trying to take advantage of me. If I had taken the stopped cab it would have cost me 10 Ringgit anyway.

 

[JohnK]

The meter fare would likely have been under 4 Ringgit1 Its amazing how slowly the meter ticks over.

Yes Malaysia is good when it comes to teksi fares. Even better with 2 people in a teksi for MYR10 when the colleague is paying from his expense account.

One night we went to dinner in Hard Rock and we used the hotel car and it cost the standard hotel charge of MYR55 for a trip around 30-45 minutes with light traffic. Returning we finally hired managed to find a teksi driver who was willing to turn the meter on and it was around MYR40. Not many teksis from KL want to venture out to Shah Alam as they will more than likely come back empty.

 

[Reggie]

But in my case I was going home. I was going to the office which means work. I don't necessarily want to pay more to get to work quicker .

I just have a belief that we pay enough in taxes towards road infrastructure costs and that the ever increasing application of user-pays for all new major road constructions is getting out of control.

Well, You could save money and take longer, by walking out of the airport and waving down a cab, so no airport fees, you get fit by walking, burn time whilst walking and can proudly tell the boss how you saved the company money. Winner all round............... isn't it?

 

[straitman]

Well, You could save money and take longer, by walking out of the airport and waving down a cab, so no airport fees, you get fit by walking, burn time whilst walking and can proudly tell the boss how you saved the company money. Winner all round............... isn't it?

:evil:

 

[Mal]

I wonder if work would give me a mileage allowance on my suitcase if I walked it back from the airport to work ....

 

[straitman]

I wonder if work would give me a mileage allowance on my suitcase if I walked it back from the airport to work ....

... or your shoes perhaps :?:

 

[dajop]

Well Macquarie aren't the only one jacking up fees. Down here in MEL, parking rates have recently increased. Daily short term rate up 13.5% from $37 to $42 (which went up from $35 about twelve months ago).