Calgary taxi drivers fear lower ridership as airport introduces new drop-off fees
Calgarians and visitors to the city who are taking a taxi to the airport will soon have to pay a little extra money for their trip in the new year.
The Calgary Airport Authority is introducing a new $4 drop-off fee for riders who are arriving at the airport and its nearby surrounding area via a taxi, which will go into effect starting on Jan. 15, 2024.
Officials with the airport also announced that an already existing pick-up fee for customers being picked up from the airport will be reduced from $5 to $4.50.
It means taxi riders will have to pay either fee on top of their fare, no matter if they are arriving or departing from the airport via a taxi. The added fee will go directly to the airport.
In a statement, the Calgary Airport Authority said the combined rates are in line with combined drop off and pick up ride-share fees already being paid by rideshare companies Uber and Lyft.
Rob Palmer, VP of Commercial, Strategy & Chief Financial Officer of the Calgary Airport Authority, says it will ‘level the playing field’ for rideshare companies and taxis, all while helping the airport recoup financial losses from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We appreciate that change in pricing impacts our guests, and these decisions are made after careful consideration and review with the customer experience top of mind,” Palmer said.
“Any revenue collected from current or future fees are reinvested in improvements to our facilities and operations to ensure guests have safe, efficient experiences.”
The new drop-off fee doesn’t just apply to the airport terminals themselves, but also the surrounding area, which includes hotels, parking garages, and business properties.
The area is applied across the airport campus which include Aero Drive/ 11 Street N.E. and adjoining properties on the west, down to McKnight Boulevard N.E., to McCall Way and adjoining properties, and the terminal.
$50 RIDE?
The changes mean an average trip to the airport from downtown will go from the low-$40 range to nearly $50, according to general manager of Associated Cabs, Jeff Garland.
Graland says his team of drivers take about 35,000 trips per month collectively to the airport area. He estimates that the Calgary Airport Authority will make about $140,000 per month off this new fee alone.
“I'm sure it's going to be a bit of a struggle for the drivers and stuff in the beginning as they're going to have to answer questions to customers and stuff like that,” he said.
“It's not like they're getting any of the money. It goes all to the airport authority.”
The new fee structure isn’t sitting well with long-time cab drivers like Sunil Singh. He’s been driving cabs for nearly 40 years, but says he feels taken advantage of and worries about lower ridership.
“It’s going to affect our business because business is already slow,” he said. “I think this is corruption.”
“This includes so many areas and I just don’t know how it’s going to work out, as soon as we enter these boundaries and start a fare.”
The Calgary Airport Authority says it will implement the technology of geofencing to enforce these new fees for taxis arriving or departing from the airport boundaries with a fare.
Once the fare is started, the technology will kick in to establish a virtual perimeter connected to the taxi’s GPS and computer system. It will alert the Calgary Airport Authority and charge the extra $4 fee for a drop-off and the newly-reduced $4.50 fee for a pick-up.
The Calgary Airport Authority still faces major costs following a $200-million restoration of its aging west runway, which is slated to be replaced in 2025.
The Authority adds that these fees will help with those improvements, but it will also be seeking additional funding from the federal and provincial governments due to rising construction costs and inflationary increases.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6976926.1721883767!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
LIVE UPDATES Critical infrastructure 'successfully protected': Jasper park officials
Jasper National Park officials in an update said all critical infrastructure in the townsite has been 'successfully protected, including the hospital, emergency services building, both elementary and junior/senior schools, activity centre and wastewater treatment plant.'
BREAKING Canadian Olympic Committee removes women's soccer team's head coach over drone scandal
The Canadian Olympic Committee has removed women's national soccer team head coach Bev Priestman over a drone scandal, according to a press release from the organization.
'I was just shocked': Jasper lodge owner on seeing property destroyed by wildfire
On Wednesday night, the owner of Maligne Lodge in Jasper, Alta., was shocked to receive a photo of her business engulfed in flames.
Prince William's 2023 salary revealed in new report
Newly released financial reports show that William, the Prince of Wales, drew a salary of $42.1 million last fiscal year, his first since inheriting the vast and lucrative Duchy of Cornwall.
Yukon woman narrowly escapes bear attack, credits hair clip
A woman in Yukon believes her hair clip helped save her during a bear attack.
P.E.I. and New Brunswick among most overworked provinces in Canada, study finds
A study says Prince Edward Island is the second most overworked province in Canada based on average weekly hours worked, while New Brunswick falls in third.
Mary-Ellen Turpel-Lafond likely has Indigenous DNA: report
The Law Society of British Columbia says a DNA test shows a former judge and Order of Canada recipient accused of falsely claiming to be Cree "most likely" has Indigenous heritage.
Alberta premier says a third, perhaps half, of all Jasper buildings destroyed by fire
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says early reports indicate a third and perhaps up to half of all buildings in the historic Rocky Mountain resort town of Jasper have burned in a wildfire.
OPINION Prince Harry: Press intrusion and the family rift explored in new doc
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has once again found himself at the centre of media attention following his recent interview as part of 'Tabloids on Trial,' an ITV documentary on phone hacking and tabloid intrusion.