Trending: Ola Rider Billed Rs 5,000 After Booking Ride For Rs 730 In Bengaluru

A recent incident at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru has brought to light the alarming issue of unexpected fare hikes faced by passengers using ride-hailing services. Anurag Kumar Singh, a college student who had just arrived from Kolkata, found himself at the centre of this ordeal when he booked a cab through the Ola app. Singh, opting for a mini taxi, boarded the first cab in line at the airport’s taxi bay. Everything seemed routine until he reached his destination in the Mathikere area. To his astonishment, the fare displayed on the app was Rs 730, but the driver demanded an exorbitant Rs 5,000 upon arrival.

Speaking to The Times of India, Singh expressed his shock at the unexpected surge in fares, stating that even if he had toured the entire city, he wouldn’t have incurred such high charges. Upon closer inspection of his phone, Singh discovered that the trip had been mysteriously cancelled, and he wasn’t officially on the ride.

Following a personal practice of taking screenshots after booking a ride, Singh realised that fare discrepancies could be reported to the customer support of the cab aggregator. However, Singh faced a language barrier as he did not know Kannada. Seeking assistance from his neighbours, who were fluent in the local language, negotiations were initiated with the driver.

After a tense exchange, the driver eventually agreed to settle for Rs 1,600, which was still twice the initially quoted fare. Singh emphasised the lack of response from Ola to his complaints raised through the app and on social media, leaving him frustrated and dissatisfied with customer support.

Earlier, in another incident in Bangalore, a Reddit user exposed a taxi scam. The user, operating under an anonymous name, shared her mother’s experience when flying out of Bangalore T2. According to the post, the Uber driver falsely claimed the drop location was T1, demanding an additional Rs 75. Despite the user’s mother’s awareness that T2 was the correct drop point, she paid the extra amount, only to discover on the app that she had indeed booked the ride to T2.

The Reddit user aimed to raise awareness about this scam affecting unsuspecting passengers.