Cab cancellations, exorbitant prices inconvenience fliers at Pune airport

PUNE Fliers stepping out of Pune airport often face inconvenience as they have to wait for long to get cabs

PUNE Fliers stepping out of Pune airport often face inconvenience as they have to wait for long to get cabs. Making matters worse are the exorbitant prices and the fact that cabs are often cancelled by the drivers themselves.

Passengers are seen waiting for cabs outside Pune airport on Sunday. (Shankar Narayan/HT PHOTO)

Gayatri Mishra, 40, who flew into Pune at 2am on Saturday, had to wait along with her family for half-an-hour during which time two of the cabs she had booked were cancelled. Since it was very late, she was left with no other option but to take a cab for an exorbitant amount.

Shankar Pawar, who works with a cab aggregator in the city and regularly ferries passengers to and from the airport, said, “This is very common when there are a lot of flights arriving at the same time. There are a lot of passengers which creates a lot of demand which leads to a lot of traffic. Hence, drivers tend to cancel rides.”

Prafful, who works with the same cab aggregator as Pawar, said, “Due to the traffic outside, the waiting times tend to be long. So, while sometimes passengers cancel, the drivers too can cancel at times because they feel that no one will be willing to wait for so long.”

The traffic outside the airport is the main reason for constant cab cancellations especially during early hours when a lot of flights tend to arrive at the same time. However, Rahul Shrirame, DCP traffic, said, “We do have constables for surveillance of traffic even at night so they can control the traffic and ensure smooth movement.”