Criticism mounts over Bengaluru airport’s new pick-up rule; BIAL in no mood to relent

According to BIAL officials, only authorised taxi operators-KSTDC, Mega, Uber, Uber Black, Ola, Quick Ride, OHM Electric Cabs and WTI-are allowed kerbside pick-up.

Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) is facing growing criticism over its new pick-up rules, with passengers, industry watchers and business leaders flagging serious inconvenience- especially for senior citizens, persons with disabilities and frequent flyers.

Despite mounting backlash, airport operator Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL) appears to be in no mood to roll back the changes.

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According to BIAL officials, only authorised taxi operators-KSTDC, Mega, Uber, Uber Black, Ola, Quick Ride, OHM Electric Cabs and WTI-are allowed kerbside pick-up.

Under the revised system, several app-based and “non-official” taxi services have been shifted to designated parking areas at both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, forcing passengers to walk more than a kilometre with luggage.

Former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai criticised the move, questioning its impact on business travellers. "Bengaluru is home to multiple global tech companies. Why make overseas visiting business leaders walk all the way to the parking lot if they use company-owned operators that run car services for them?” he wrote on X.

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Pai pointed out that many firms avoid airport taxis for security reasons and said authorities should crack down on touts instead of penalising legitimate users. “Frequent users and business travellers need better treatment,” he added.

Aviation expert Devesh Agarwal also urged BIAL to allow company-owned operators such as Shoffr kerbside access, arguing that these services occupy minimal space, are disciplined and safer-particularly for women, senior citizens and late-night travellers.

“The airport earns revenue from ‘official taxi operators’ and therefore allows only them kerbside pick-up, pushing others far away to drive revenue,” he said, calling for state government intervention as landside operations fall outside the Centre’s direct oversight.

Several passengers shared accounts of hardship following the change. Shivaprasad C said buggy services were “far and few”, exits now take nearly 30 minutes compared to five minutes earlier, and elderly and differently abled passengers are “struggling big time”. He also alleged overcharging and poor vehicle conditions among taxis stationed near the terminal.

Echoing similar concerns, passenger Rohit Lunawat questioned the logic of shifting pick-up points far away. “After a long flight, the last thing travellers need is a long walk with luggage,” he said.

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Entrepreneur Hareesh Amjuri described the new arrangement as “utter chaos”, claiming it now takes nearly an hour from landing to getting into a cab. He alleged that premium taxis charging 1.8–2 times the regular fare continue to enjoy closer access, while others have been pushed to distant P4 parking. “Why is VIP parking right outside the arrival gate while common passengers are made to suffer?” he asked.

Passengers also flagged poor communication. Shantanu Ghosh, a passenger, said abrupt changes to P3 and P4 pick-up rules were implemented without prior notice, signage or staff guidance, leaving families, seniors and those with luggage confused and distressed.

Citizen groups disputed BIAL’s claim that the walking distance is around 470 metres. “It’s almost 1 km. Exhausted travellers, senior citizens and children are being further tortured by this illogical move,” one user wrote.

Dr Sandeep Krishnan termed the situation “a mess”, alleging that elderly passengers are forced to walk up to 1.5 km to access their cab of choice. “Why spoil what was working well?” he asked.

Several users also questioned why, despite paying high user development fees (UDF), passengers continue to face reduced convenience. Others pointed out that airports globally allow ride-hailing services kerbside access, charging only for parking, unlike Indian airports where entry fees are imposed.

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Driver aggregators such as Rideally warned that the new rule is hurting livelihoods, citing trip cancellations and loss of earnings due to passenger inconvenience.

With UDF cuts deferred till March 2026, parking fees hiked, access charges and tolls levied on cabs, and delayed rail and Metro links, airport access continues to remain both costly and inconvenient.

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