33% cut in number of airport taxis

JAKARTA (JP): The management of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport has announced its plan to reduce the number of taxis serving the airport from 3,000 to 2,000 as of next month.

Mulyono, head of airport management, said on Thursday that the decision to reduce taxi numbers was based on a management survey which aimed to improve services for passengers.

Mulyono said the quota of 2,000 taxis will be divided between 20 taxi companies, based on their customer service quality.

Ateng Aryono, the vice operation director of Blue Bird -- one of the taxi companies included in the quota -- said the fleet was chosen because of its high-quality service reflected in the survey.

Ateng said the airport's management had allowed Blue Bird to operate 150 taxis out of the airport.

"The allocation was based on an equal distribution among taxi companies," he said after overseeing the placing of airport stickers -- which act as an entry pass -- on Blue Bird taxis yesterday.

He said the stickers could be revoked if drivers were regularly found guilty of violating airport rules, such as parking in the wrong places or not using taxi meters.

Blue Bird's subsidiary, Gamya, would also operate another 150 taxis in line with the new allocation, he said. (jun)