Taxi service at Prague airport will be operated by Uber
When passengers order a taxi at Prague’s Václav Havel Airport starting next spring, it will most likely be Uber. The originally American service won the final procedure, in which two applicants applied. In it, Uber guaranteed a fixed price for the ride in advance, the provision of traffic service 24 hours a day, or a vehicle fleet up to five years old, mainly from the upper middle class. Until now, the TAXI Praha and FIX companies operate a contracted taxi service at the airport, the cooperation will expire at the beginning of next year.
“The taxi service is key for us. In the concession procedure, we emphasized the requirements of passengers, who above all want to know the price in advance. The new taxi operator will provide its services under the constant control of the airport. All rides, including those outside of Prague, must comply with the maximum price regulation,” said Prague Airport board member Jakub Puchalský.
“The world is changing dynamically and we don’t want to be left behind, we have to respond to this development by continuously improving our customer service offerings. I believe that the new operator of the taxi service fulfills the expectations that the airport management has of him in this regard.” added Finance Minister Zbyněk Stanjura (ODS).
The contract of the current operators expires in January 2023. According to information from CzechCrunche, one of the existing second players was supposed to be one of the applicants in the new final procedure. According to the airport, Uber should start preparing after signing the contract so that it can offer its services as soon as possible after the old contract. In the tender, the airport defined the obligation of the operator to set the final price before each trip, which is calculated by its software. the resulting price of the fare must not exceed the agreed price, even when changing the route or waiting in a queue. The passenger will also always have the option to pay cashless.
Passengers will be able to order a taxi ride via their phone without downloading an app, via the web interface and at the kiosks in the arrival halls at both terminals. Uber will also have to ensure the quality and safety of the services according to the terms of the contract. Drivers will have to have all permits, speak Czech and have at least a basic knowledge of English and dress appropriately.
Uber also guaranteed a vehicle fleet with a maximum age of up to five years, mainly of upper middle class cars. At the same time, he will have to adapt the number of cars available at the airport to the current demand or provide transportation for people with reduced orientation. In addition, the airport also took into account a friendly approach to the environment when preparing the concession award, with the new taxi operator committing itself to an increasing share of electric cars in the airport fleet. In the last year of the contract, at least every tenth order is to be handled using an electric car.
After confirming the order, passengers will receive information about the license plate number, model and color of the car that will take them from the airport. At the same time, it will also be possible to pair a ride with a specific car through the PIN, the passenger will get the code he wants and will then be able to choose another car standing in front of the terminal. According to this technology, they use it at other airports, where airport waiting times have been reduced by an average of 50 percent.
“The official partnership with Václav Havel Prague Airport is a huge success and a significant milestone within our operations in the Czech Republic. We know how essential the quality of transport from the airport is not only for the capital, but also for the entire Czech Republic. In this way, we can influence foreign visitors to our country already at the first contact, which entails a great commitment. We are ready to undertake it with maximum responsibility and care,” says Štěpán Šindelář, Uber’s operations manager for the Czech Republic.
This is another European success for Uber, which this year also concluded cooperation with the largest Polish airport in Warsaw. At Frédéric Chopin Airport, passengers can also order a ride directly from the arrivals hall. In addition, the American company established a number of other partnerships, when the airports in Madrid, Barcelona and Malaga joined the official cooperation with London’s Heathrow, Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport and Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam.
With the contribution of CTK