Cengkareng airport's poor taxi service

Cengkareng airport's poor taxi service

The Sukarno-Hatta International Airport in Cengkareng,
Jakarta, remains the strangest I have ever seen, with motorcycle
taxis operating in the area, some even moving in the opposite
direction of cars, posing the danger of collision.

The taxi service at the airport has for years been muddled up,
despite a new rule recently introduced to make taxis line up for
passengers. This may be due to a lack of control by the airport
management and taxi operators.

At the airport gate, cars picking up arrivals, taxis and
motorcycle taxis are mixed up, like vendors in a traditional
market. Some taxi drivers waiting in line offer official fares
while others charge higher rates, also with the help of brokers.

Taxi passengers leaving the airport can see drivers slipping
money to security officers, sometimes up to Rp 5,000 per
encounter. It happens when the uniform-clad officers are handing
airport taxi complaint cards to passengers.

Once when I was about to get into a taxi, a person I thought
was the driver picked up my baggage and loaded it into the car.
But he pushed me to give him a tip and would only leave after I
called a security man. Later, when the taxi began to leave the
airport, the driver asked for a higher fare, which I refused by
ordering him to stop.

The Cengkareng airport has the worst taxi service compared to
airports in neighboring countries, not to mention in East Asia,
Australia, Europe and North America. It is even worse than the
taxi service other domestic airports offer.

ATMAKUSUMAH ASTRAATMADJA, Jakarta