Expatriates arriving by special flights in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak have raised complaints of being fleeced by pre-paid taxis at Kannur International Airport.
While some of them filed their complaints with the Transport Minister, Transport Commissioner, and Kannur Regional Transport Officer, a few others expressed their anguish on social media.
Speaking to The Hindu Hashim Paloor, who arrived with his pregnant wife at the Kannur airport from Qatar on May 20, said Calicut Tours & Travels operating the taxi service from the airport charged him ₹6,500 for a distance of 115 km to their home at Mukkam in Kozhikode.
Since it was exorbitant, he and a few others inquired about other modes of travel to get home. But the staff at the airport directed all those who were advised home quarantine to opt for the taxi service, said Mr. Hashim. Though he had filed a complaint, no action was taken yet.
Abdul Muneer, another victim, took to social media to express his ire against the taxi operator who charged ₹1,000 to drop him at 19th Mile, just 8 km from the airport. Besides overcharging, he said, the driver demanded money for tea and snacks.
Another passenger said he was forced to give ₹2,500 for dropping him at Thalassery, 35 km from the airport, though before starting the trip he was told that it would cost only about ₹1,200.
The experience was no different for Nahas who had to spend ₹1,000 to reach his home at Chavassery, hardly 10 km away.
Syam Prasad, a taxi driver at Mattanur, said that the air passengers were being overcharged following the lockdown.
“When we are charging just ₹1,100 for a distance of 36 km, a resident of Mahe was charged ₹3,500 by a company operating from the airport,” he said.
As per a government order, an airport taxi operator should charge only ₹15 per km. It is alleged that the company was charging double the fixed fare in the wake Covid outbreak.
No company officials were available for their comments.
Probe on
Meanwhile, Kannur Regional Transport Officer E.S. Unnikrishnan said he had received two complaints and an inquiry was on. The bills produced by the complainants revealed that the company had overcharged them. However, the authenticity of the bills should be verified, he said.
The company had cited special safety arrangements made inside the car and expenses for the protection of the driver as the reasons for charging higher fares. Necessary action would be taken after the inquiry, Mr. Unnikrishnansaid.
