22 October 2015
Muscat: Airport taxi drivers are refusing to use new meters installed in the majority of their blue-and-white cars because they say they should have a monopoly on business at the airport.
A representative of taxi drivers, Abdullah Al Shibli, who is also an airport taxi driver, said, "It is true that meters have been installed in almost all the taxis here, but we have refused to activate it because we want the taxi business at the airport to be exclusive to us."
He explained that at present any vehicle can be used as a taxi at the airport.
"That's why orange taxis, along with expats using their private vehicles as taxis, should be stopped from doing business inside the airport," he stated.
Al Shibli added that airport taxi drivers had refused to use the meter, unless the authorities concerned listened to their demands.
"We have approached everybody, including the company, the Royal Oman Police and the Municipal Council. We are waiting to hear a reasonable solution, even though the authorities concerned had told us that they don't have any authority or instruction to stop orange taxis from entering the airport. We are hopeful that some solution can be worked out," Al Shibli explained.
When contacted, Abdullah Al Busaidi, head of Media and Public Relations, Oman Airport Management Company (OAMC), said it was the Municipal Council which came up with the suggestion that meters should be installed in airport taxis. Therefore, we are waiting for the Municipal Council and the airport drivers to come up with a solution."
He said a company is currently in the process of installing meters in airport taxis, and the tariff is yet to be fixed. He added that pre-paid taxis were available from the airport, with the minimum fare starting from OMR6.
Meanwhile, Salim Al Ghammari, a municipal council member, said the meter system should have been started a long time back.
He said, "It is a fair demand by the airport taxi drivers asking to ban orange taxis. However, since OAMC owns the airport property they should be the ones who control the entry and exit of orange taxis."
He clarified that they can set the rules for the orange taxis. "For example they can set a time limit for orange taxi to spend inside the airport taxi premises."
The decision to introduce these meters in airport taxis was taken by the Municipal Council of Muscat in 2012 and subsequently approved by the Muscat Municipality, according to Al Ghammari.
"All the Municipal Council members voted unanimously for the move, disregarding a lot of disagreement on the part of the taxi drivers," said Al Ghammari.
First phase
"Airport taxis are being covered in the first phase, and meters will also be installed eventually in hotel and resort taxis in Muscat, and then in all taxis used as public transport," he said.
He explained that earlier, an international company specialising in the job had taken charge of installing meters in airport taxis. "I believe meters have been installed in most of the airport taxis so far. For some vehicles, installing the meters was difficult due to technical problems," said Al Ghammari.
Another taxi driver said that the airport taxi drivers know that when the meter system is applied, the process will be more organised and professional.
"But in the present set up we will be making very little money," he said.
According to the OAMC website, booking a taxi is easy and can be done in a number of ways. One is through pre-booking where taxis can be booked via an online booking system or through the telephone number listed.
Private hire taxis can be booked and are also available pre-paid, depending on your destination, through the Muscat International Airport Taxi Counter located outside the arrivals building.
Muscat: Airport taxi drivers are refusing to use new meters installed in the majority of their blue-and-white cars because they say they should have a monopoly on business at the airport.
A representative of taxi drivers, Abdullah Al Shibli, who is also an airport taxi driver, said, "It is true that meters have been installed in almost all the taxis here, but we have refused to activate it because we want the taxi business at the airport to be exclusive to us."
He explained that at present any vehicle can be used as a taxi at the airport.
"That's why orange taxis, along with expats using their private vehicles as taxis, should be stopped from doing business inside the airport," he stated.
Al Shibli added that airport taxi drivers had refused to use the meter, unless the authorities concerned listened to their demands.
"We have approached everybody, including the company, the Royal Oman Police and the Municipal Council. We are waiting to hear a reasonable solution, even though the authorities concerned had told us that they don't have any authority or instruction to stop orange taxis from entering the airport. We are hopeful that some solution can be worked out," Al Shibli explained.
When contacted, Abdullah Al Busaidi, head of Media and Public Relations, Oman Airport Management Company (OAMC), said it was the Municipal Council which came up with the suggestion that meters should be installed in airport taxis. Therefore, we are waiting for the Municipal Council and the airport drivers to come up with a solution."
He said a company is currently in the process of installing meters in airport taxis, and the tariff is yet to be fixed. He added that pre-paid taxis were available from the airport, with the minimum fare starting from OMR6.
Meanwhile, Salim Al Ghammari, a municipal council member, said the meter system should have been started a long time back.
He said, "It is a fair demand by the airport taxi drivers asking to ban orange taxis. However, since OAMC owns the airport property they should be the ones who control the entry and exit of orange taxis."
He clarified that they can set the rules for the orange taxis. "For example they can set a time limit for orange taxi to spend inside the airport taxi premises."
The decision to introduce these meters in airport taxis was taken by the Municipal Council of Muscat in 2012 and subsequently approved by the Muscat Municipality, according to Al Ghammari.
"All the Municipal Council members voted unanimously for the move, disregarding a lot of disagreement on the part of the taxi drivers," said Al Ghammari.
First phase
"Airport taxis are being covered in the first phase, and meters will also be installed eventually in hotel and resort taxis in Muscat, and then in all taxis used as public transport," he said.
He explained that earlier, an international company specialising in the job had taken charge of installing meters in airport taxis. "I believe meters have been installed in most of the airport taxis so far. For some vehicles, installing the meters was difficult due to technical problems," said Al Ghammari.
Another taxi driver said that the airport taxi drivers know that when the meter system is applied, the process will be more organised and professional.
"But in the present set up we will be making very little money," he said.
According to the OAMC website, booking a taxi is easy and can be done in a number of ways. One is through pre-booking where taxis can be booked via an online booking system or through the telephone number listed.
Private hire taxis can be booked and are also available pre-paid, depending on your destination, through the Muscat International Airport Taxi Counter located outside the arrivals building.
© Times of Oman 2015
