An Australian traveller has warned others against hailing taxis at the airport after falling victim to the same scam four times.
Dominic Mich shared a video to social media on Wednesday that detailed his poor experience with taxis at Sydney Airport.
‘How this scam works is they let the meter run up,’ he explained.
‘The meter’s generally fine, and then at some point on the trip, before you get to your destination, they press a button on the meter, and suddenly it jumps by $10, $20, $30, $40.’
Mr Mich and his partner were ‘basically all the way home’ on a 15-minute trip last week when their meter jumped by $20.
‘I was keeping my eye on the meter the whole time because of previous experiences,’ he said.
‘We got to our destination, the fare was $32. I expected an airport fee to be added, maybe $2 or $3, then suddenly the fare went up to $57 with a few taps of a button.
‘My partner was willing to speak up this time and questioned the taxi driver about it. He claimed it was the airport toll.’
Dominic Mich (pictured with his partner) claims he has been scammed by Sydney Airport taxi drivers four times
Mr Mich also recalled another driver who hiked the meter price while getting a lolly from the center console, blocking the view of the meter from the backseat.
‘Loaded $30 on, tapped it three times. It’s like each tap comes with $10,’ he said.
‘Because this has always happened after a hell of a long flight, I haven’t done much about it at the time.
‘International tourists are going to be landing in Sydney and having this as their welcome. What a shocking way to welcome someone to this country.’
Hundreds of Aussies shared their own experiences with Sydney Airport taxis and recommended Mr Mich use a rideshare platform such as Uber.
‘I live in Waterloo, so less than 10 minutes in the car, and he charged $66. I was shook. However, jet lag and tiredness prevailed. Will always stick with Uber.’
‘I was charged $170 for a 35-minute trip. The same trip with Uber was $51,’ one said.
‘I thought I was the only one. I went from Sydney Airport to Freshwater and got charged $180. When I asked why, he said because it’s a weekend,’ a second added.
‘I’ve been charged $30-$40 more than what I was expecting before, and so have my colleagues,’ a third said.
Mr Mich accused the drivers of tampering with the meter during the ride, at one point adding $40 onto his fare (file photo pictured)
‘My last taxi in Sydney was from the airport to the W in Darling Harbour and it was $80. Pure robbery,’ another wrote.
Sydney Airport provides an approximate fare guide for taxi riders, with the estimated cost of a trip to the city coming in at between $45 and $55.
Those heading to North Sydney can expect to pay between $55 and $65.
A ride to Cronulla will cost approximately $75-$85, while a trip to Manly will set you back about between $90 and $100 one way.
For a journey to Liverpool, riders can expect to pay between $95 and $110.
An airport toll of $5.45 is required for all passengers (per car) taking a taxi from any of Sydney Airport’s taxi ranks.
