Bengaluru Airport Taxi Drivers Struggle With Slow Passenger Flow, LPG Price Rise

Amid the ongoing US-Israel-Iran conflicts, international passenger traffic at Bengaluru's airport has slowed significantly, leaving airport taxi drivers grappling with fewer trips and declining daily earnings. A Deccan Herald report noted that the reduction in international arrivals has directly impacted the work of airport cab drivers, with several vehicles waiting for hours before getting a passenger.

"The movement of cabs has come to a standstill. It takes nearly four hours for the existing fleet to get a single trip," said Mallikarjun, a cab driver operating at Kempegowda International Airport, to DH.

The slowdown has had a major impact on the drivers' income. The report noted that drivers could earlier complete between three and five trips during a 24-hour shift, ensuring a stable daily earning. However, the situation has changed drastically in recent weeks.

"The cars are just gathering dust in the buffer parking lots. Unless the walkie-talkie buzzes with a message of a passenger arrival, twenty to twenty-five cars remain idle for hours," another driver said to DH.
Apart from the decline in passenger flow, the growing presence of unauthorized cab operators around the airport has further worsened the situation for official taxi drivers. According to them, these drivers approach passengers directly at the arrival gates and offer rides at significantly lower prices.

"If a trip to Jayanagar costs Rs 1,500 in an official airport taxi, these unauthorized operators offer a shared deal for as low as Rs 800. Naturally, a customer will choose the cheaper option," one driver said to DH.

Adding to the drivers' concerns is the recent rise in LPG prices. The auto LPG used by autos and cabs has become significantly costlier in recent days, increasing the operational burden on drivers.

Earlier, the price of auto LPG in Bengaluru was around Rs 58 per litre and later rose slightly to Rs 59. However, in several fuel stations across the city, the price has now climbed sharply to nearly Rs 69.74 per litre. In some places, drivers claim the increase has been even steeper, rising by Rs 15 to Rs 20 per litre.

The sudden spike in fuel costs has also raised fears among drivers that LPG supply could become unstable if global tensions escalate further. They say that if the conflict continues for a long time, higher fuel costs will inevitably be passed on to passengers.

In fact, some commuters are already beginning to experience this impact. Several auto and cab drivers have reportedly started asking for an additional Rs 10 to Rs 20 per kilometre while booking rides, citing the rising LPG prices as the reason.