Chennai Airport Cab Passengers Forced to Pay Inflated Fares for MLCP Parking

Passengers arriving at the Chennai Airport are being forced to pay inflated cab fares as drivers pass on multi-level car park (MLCP) parking fees at the West Aerohub building. A Right to Information (RTI) reply from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has confirmed that these additional parking charges are applied to commercial vehicles parked at the facility, resulting in higher travel bills for commuters.

The issue came to light after Dayanand Krishanan, a resident of Chitlapakkam, filed an RTI query after he was forced to pay ₹180 in extra charges for his cab ride.

According to the AAI reply, if app-based taxi vehicles are stationed or parked in the MLCP, additional parking charges are applicable based on their duration of stay. The AAI stated that the amount charged by cab operators under "airport charges" includes both the pickup fee and the parking charges incurred by the vehicles for occupying the MLCP. The authority defended the practice, claiming that parking cabs at the MLCP minimizes passenger waiting times after booking.

However, passengers and cab drivers have criticized the system. To board their booked vehicles, passengers must first wheel their luggage about 800 meters from the terminal to the MLCP at the West Aerohub building and navigate multiple levels.

Cab drivers stated they have no choice but to use the facility. S. Karuppasamy, a cab driver who frequently picks up passengers from the airport, explained that the MLCP is the only designated spot to pick up passengers. Because of this, the parking charges are automatically added to the bill by the cab aggregator, leading passengers to believe that drivers are overcharging them.

Kannan, a member of the prepaid taxi association, noted that their members pay a flat monthly fee of ₹3,000 to the contractor, in addition to ₹40 per trip, suggesting that different agreements with cab aggregators contribute to the inflated fares.

Dayanand Krishnan argued that AAI is treating the parking contract as a revenue model rather than focusing on passenger convenience. He stated that opening the second pickup point at the plaza in front of the terminal, which has remained closed for six months despite being completed, is the only way to end the inflated bills.

Chennai Airport Director M. Raja Kishore stated that the airport is currently waiting for legal clearance from the AAI headquarters in Delhi to open the plaza.