After cab drivers’ protest, Bengaluru airport claims 95% of passengers are comfortable with new arrival pick-up system

Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), which operates Kempegowda International Airport, has claimed that nearly 95 percent of passengers are now comfortable with newly introduced arrival pick-up system, even as airport cab drivers protested against the changes.

In a statement, a BIAL spokesperson said the updated arrival pick-up system follows practices adopted at leading airports globally and is being closely monitored. “While transitions of this nature can encounter some resistance initially, nearly 95 percent of passengers are currently comfortable with the new system,” the spokesperson said.

Also, read: Forced to walk 1.5 km with luggage, ‘overstay’ rules spark chaos at Bengaluru airport

BIAL added that some genuine issues have been identified and passenger feedback is being addressed systematically, with passenger experience at the centre. “Progress is closely monitored to ensure the system stabilises over the next 30 days,” the operator said.

The airport operator also flagged safety concerns, citing complaints received over the years, including from solo women travellers, about unauthorised taxi operators coercing passengers mid-journey to pay amounts far exceeding regulated fares or abandoning them if demands were not met. “This poses a far greater safety risk than a walk of 300-500 metres. Strengthening the authorised and regulated ecosystem is therefore critical,” the statement said.

BIAL said passengers with mobility challenges, infants, senior citizens and wheelchair users will be supported through buggies and shuttle services. “No effort or expense will be spared to enhance the experience for all passengers. This is the right move from a safety standpoint, and continuous refinements will be made over the next one to two months,” it added.

Meanwhile, hundreds of airport cab drivers on December 16 staged a protest near the Sadahalli toll gate against the new parking and pick-up rules. The protest was led by the Karnataka Drivers Union, which said the new lane segregation and pick-up rules were adversely affecting drivers.

Protesters attempted to block the road, following which police resorted to a mild lathi charge and detained some of the drivers. G Narayanaswamy, president of Union, alleged that drivers were being penalised for no reasons. He claimed that around 15,000-25,000 local drivers depend on airport operations for their livelihood. “If such a large number of drivers are pushed out, it only benefits others. This plan itself shows there is a larger plan behind it,” he said, accusing BIAL of deliberately creating hurdles for local taxi drivers.

Narayanaswamy warned that if the issue remains unresolved, drivers would launch an indefinite hunger strike at the airport arrival terminal. One of the protesters also said the time limits imposed were unrealistic, as passengers take time to exit the terminal and reach their cabs.

Also, read: Bengaluru airport sets 8-minute cap for private vehicles at pick-up zones; fines up to Rs 300

BIAL began levying an “overstay charge” on private vehicles from December 11 at Terminal 2 and December 13 at Terminal 1. Under the new system, private vehicles are allowed eight minutes of free access at arrival pick-up zones, after which a fee applies. Vehicles that exceed the maximum permitted waiting time risk being towed, along with fines and towing charges.