Transport ministry defends fixed airport taxi fares

[Paphos Life]

The transport ministry on Monday responded to the Cyprus consumers association after it criticised the government's intention of introducing fixed taxi fares to and from Paphos and Larnaca airports. ...

Read the article and chat about it below...

[Dominic]

I'm surprised that the Consumer Association would be against fixed prices from the airport, given the amount of stories we hear of people getting scalped there.

[Kili01]

This isn't a new idea! Some years ago, there was a board in arrivals at PFO airport which listed the max taxi fare to various popular destinations. But it didn't stay there long.. taxi drivers wished to set there own fares! It's a good thing to stop individual taxi drivers from ripping off tourists by charging them exorbitant rates, But how are they going to enforce it? It would likely takes a couple of policemen stationed near the taxi ranks to actually make sure it would work in practice!
Dee

[PhotoLady]

The board displayed at Paphos airport with the prices listed many years ago was defaced by the taxi drivers.
I took a photo of it when we went to collect my parents in the early years after we came to live in Cyprus.

After that, I started booking their flights in and out of Larnaka as the airport wasn't as chaotic.

Best suggestion would be a taxi booth where you book and pre-pay, as used to be the case at Malta which worked very well.

You paid and were given a printed chitty and then joined the line outside. The taxi turned up and you handed the chitty over so the driver could claim their fares.

A payment meter, like a parking ticket machine would also work. Pay by the destination/district and when it's your turn in the queue, that's when the driver finds out where they're taking you.

It's time these drivers stopped calling the shots. If they cannot be trusted to use the tools given to them by refusing to turn the meters on, remove all options of them receiving payment directly from the passengers.

[WHL]

The Taxi drivers over here are a law un to themselves, having said that I have never had a problem when using taxis here or anywhere else in the World, before we get in, I negotiate a price, if we agree I get in, if not I get the next taxi in line.

[Kili01]

WHL, that's the answer. It's what I would do too!
But probably the average tourist doesn't think to do this first.
I dislike the taxi driver's mafia in Paphos, whose members give all taxi drivers here a bad name.
Dee

[souniman]

Why not just book the taxi online before treavelling. There are loads of airport transfer websites .You get a fixed price so no problems on arrival. Just goggle Taxi Transfer Laranca or Paphos airport

[wantoosoon]

Perhaps some people just expect the taxi service to be reliable, reasonably priced and honest? You shouldn't have to take precautionary measures just to use the transport system. Why have airport taxis if they shouldn't be used?

I always plan transport arrangements but not everyone is like that, plus things get overlooked and flights get delayed, etc.

[PhotoLady]

Perhaps some people just expect the taxi service to be reliable, reasonably priced and honest? You shouldn't have to take precautionary measures just to use the transport system. Why have airport taxis if they shouldn't be used?

I always plan transport arrangements but not everyone is like that, plus things get overlooked and flights get delayed, etc.

Exactly!

It works well in every other destination we've visited where we've taken a taxi from the airport. The prices are displayed and meters are used where it may not be a fixed price...

But, as the saying goes - this is Cyprus.

Pointless moaning about because nobody listens or cares, if it doesn't affect them.

No consideration given to those first time visitors who will, quite rightly say, "stuff that we won't go there again"