Sydney will soon follow Paris and New York by introducing fixed-fare taxi trips from the airport to the CBD.
Locals and visitors will pay a flat fee of $60 from Sydney Airport under a 12-month trial which will begin on November 3.
Taxi drivers will not be allowed to pass on any additonal tolls or surcharges on top of that price.
The Point to Point commissioner has issued more than 1100 fines to taxi drivers since the introduction of the Taxi Fare Hotline in November 2022.
The practice of overcharging and refusing to use meters has even led to drivers touting for business inside the arrivals hall at the airport.
A Sydney taxi driver received a $2000 fine for not using the meter and charging an overseas family $188.76 for a trip from the international terminal to a hotel in the CBD, as reported by the commission.
The NSW taxi industry and the operators of Sydney Airport have supported calls for a flat fare structure.
NSW Taxi Council CEO Nick Abraham said members of the association believed set fares would provide certainty and confidence for passengers.
“If the trial proves to be successful, we hope to have the fixed fares extended to other areas in Sydney and mirrored for trips returning to the airport,” Abraham stated.
Sydney Airport CEO Scott Charlton said the fixed fare trial puts Sydney on par with cities like New York and Paris.
“More than 40 million people pass through Sydney Airport every year,” Charlton said.
“For many, their first experience of Australia is when they get into a taxi.
“Knowing how much they will pay to get to the city is a positive step.”
