Uber, Ola rides from Delhi airport now costlier after pickup fee hike: Report

Indira Gandhi International Airport

Passengers using Uber or Ola from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport will now pay a sharply higher pick-up fee effective Tuesday, after Delhi International Airport Limited increased the charge by nearly 40 per cent, according to a report by The Indian Express.

The new levy, now set at Rs 245 plus GST (totalling Rs 289 per ride), applies to all app-based cab trips starting from the airport’s three terminals. Ola has already begun factoring in a Rs 173 'transport hub charge' in its billing system before the latest revision. This is according to recent fare invoices and official statements reviewed by The Indian Express.

This additional fee, automatically included in cab fares, is part of the airport’s non-aeronautical revenue and does not require regulatory approval.

Sources told The Indian Express that the move will affect around 400,000 trips each month - accounting for 70 per cent of all commercial vehicle movements from the airport. The recent suspension of BluSmart’s electric vehicle services has further concentrated demand on Ola and Uber.

An Uber spokesperson confirmed to The Indian Express that the company does not retain this fee. “For all airport trips taken on Uber, a pickup fee is charged as part of our commercial agreements with airports. This fee is passed on to the airport-Uber does not retain these charges. As part of the recent contract renewal with the Delhi Airport, the pickup fee for Uber trips from the airport has been revised by the airport operator,” the spokesperson explained.

Following a similar hike last year, cab rides to Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport had also become costlier, with fares rising by Rs 43 to Rs 73 after Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) revised pickup fees for ride-hailing services. According to reports, BIAL had increased the pickup fee for Ola from Rs 172 to Rs 215, while Uber’s charges were raised from Rs 187 to Rs 230 for Terminal 1 and to Rs 260 for Terminal 2.

With BluSmart’s exit from Delhi Airport, options for travellers have narrowed, making the impact of this increase even more pronounced.