Anyone who has ever arrived at any airport knows this, even worse if it is a large, international airport. Imagine, for example, Milan Malpensa (MXP) or Tokyo(NRT) or even Los Angeles(LAX) airports… as soon as you get outside the gates the assault of taxi and bus drivers begins. How to manage it? How to immediately understand who to trust? We are used to thinking that “deceivers” only exist in certain regions of the world… perhaps the poorest ones, where people jostle to grab tourists. But cheaters are everywhere. Or if they are not cheaters they are low quality taxi services that pass themselves off as good. How to find the right one?
Find reliable taxi with apps
The world is now entirely digital, and news flies by the minute. To get information about a place, an event, a person… you just need to search for that name on the internet and something will come up. As regards the choice of taxis and shuttles, today there are mobile apps similar to TripAdvisor that collect the opinions and past experiences of other travellers. Based on what you read you will be able to understand which company – or taxi driver – is reliable and which is not.
However, consider that negative reviews are often given just out of envy, revenge or an unfair spirit of competition. So read them several times and try to understand how authentic they are. As a rule, more recent reviews are more reliable than “older” ones, i.e. closer to the launch date of that taxi service. When a new rival arrives on the market, it is not uncommon for some smarter colleagues to “invent” negative reviews precisely to discredit it.
Inquire calmly
An even more effective method, compared to that of apps, is direct information. When you arrive at the airport, take note of the name and telephone number of the taxi company, call and ask for information on routes and fares. Already from how you will be treated on the phone you will understand their seriousness or non-seriousness.
You can also ask the airport employees themselves for information on taxis, or better ask the police who should always be present on site. Search for the name of the company on the internet and study the site carefully, whether it seems serious or not.
Reliable taxi, some “tips”
If a taxi driver is too insistent, especially if he/she promises you rock-bottom prices, you already know that there is something strange in the air. Avoid anyone who comes with a car or minibus without any symbol, coat of arms or wording.
Better to focus on large companies, which make more transfers to and from multiple locations. They are usually the best organized and therefore most honest also in terms of rates. As for smaller companies, try to trust appearances, with great caution. The order, kindness of the driver and cleanliness of the vehicle are usually a sign of seriousness.
Ask if it is possible to pay for the ride by bank or credit card rather than cash: even if you will pay cash anyway, the taxi driver’s willingness to use traceable means will make you understand that he has nothing to hide.