Sydney Airport is poised to roll out a major taxi fare shake-up that promises to bring relief to travellers tired of unpredictable costs.

From November 3, a 12-month trial will introduce a $60 flat fare for all taxi trips from the airport to the Sydney CBD.

The cap is designed to put an end to complaints of overcharging and “meter refusal” that have plagued the airport’s taxi ranks for years.

Sydney Airport CEO Scott Charlton said the move would give passengers certainty at one of the city’s busiest gateways.

“The fixed-fare trial puts Sydney on par with cities like New York and Paris and is an important step in improving the passenger experience for travellers to our city,” he said.

“More than 40 million people pass through Sydney Airport every year, and, 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.”

For many, the change is long overdue. Airport taxi fares have long been inconsistent, with some travellers reportedly paying upwards of $150 for the 13-kilometre ride into the city.

I know the pain first-hand. I’ve been hit with a $100 fare from the airport on multiple occasions, including one where the driver had even obscured the meter so that I couldn’t see the price. That’s the kind of sting that leaves travellers wary of hopping in a cab at all.

Under the scheme, the $60 price tag is all-inclusive. Passengers will not have to worry about extra tolls or airport surcharges being tacked on once the meter stops. There will be signs at the airport and inside taxis to avoid confusion, while inspectors will be on patrol to enforce compliance.

This trial comes off the back of a recommendation by NSW’s Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal, and it has backing from Sydney Airport and the Taxi Council. The state’s Point to Point Commissioner has already handed out more than 1100 fines since late 2022 for meter refusal and overcharging.

If the trial is successful, the NSW Taxi Council says it would like to see flat fares extended to other common routes, giving travellers greater confidence and making taxis a more appealing option once again.

“Pending the success of the trial, we would like to see the set fares extended to other locations across Sydney, as well as reciprocated for trips coming back to the airport,” NSW Taxi Council CEO Nick Abrahim said.

This article first appeared in Australian Traveller. Read the original here