Mayor gets involved over taxi scam

VILNIUS — Vilnius’ mayor will meet with the city’s airport director to introduce a fixed maximum fare for taxi rides from the airport to downtown to fight an alleged “price cartel.”

Some taxi companies are charging 9 litai (€2.61) flagfall and 6 litai per km for rides from the airport, around four times what cheaper [private_supervisor]companies charge. The municipal government announced that Mayor Vilius Navickas would meet with Vilnius International Airport director Tomas Vaišvila about setting a fixed price.

“It does not promote tourism in Vilnius and is totally unacceptable,” Navickas said Monday about the expensive fares.

Vaišvila reported the taxi companies that have allocated bays at the airport to the competition council last week asking for the “cartel” to be investigated.

“The airport is the gateway to our town and country. Driving in a taxi is often the first contact a person will be confronted with in the urban service sector,” Vaišvila said last week, lambasting the ripoff racket as “unacceptable.”

For a price comparison, passengers could take the bus to the center for two litai, or the train service for 2.50 litai. A ride in a cheap taxi in normal traffic would cost passengers around 15 litai. Riding in one of expensive taxis could cost up to 60 litai.

Until October last year Martono Taksi was the only company with a spot in front of the arrivals terminals, but since then other companies were given the chance to bid for spots.

Taxi companies say they have been forced into such high fares by the fees payable to the airport for reserved spots adjacent to the arrival hall.

Currently three companies are competing for a tender for the coveted spots — Cheap Taksi, Merselita and Martono Taksi. The airport has accused each of price-gouging.[/private_supervisor] [private_subscription 1 month]
companies charge. The municipal government announced that Mayor Vilius Navickas would meet with Vilnius International Airport director Tomas Vaišvila about setting a fixed price.

“It does not promote tourism in Vilnius and is totally unacceptable,” Navickas said Monday about the expensive fares.

Vaišvila reported the taxi companies that have allocated bays at the airport to the competition council last week asking for the “cartel” to be investigated.

“The airport is the gateway to our town and country. Driving in a taxi is often the first contact a person will be confronted with in the urban service sector,” Vaišvila said last week, lambasting the ripoff racket as “unacceptable.”

For a price comparison, passengers could take the bus to the center for two litai, or the train service for 2.50 litai. A ride in a cheap taxi in normal traffic would cost passengers around 15 litai. Riding in one of expensive taxis could cost up to 60 litai.

Until October last year Martono Taksi was the only company with a spot in front of the arrivals terminals, but since then other companies were given the chance to bid for spots.

Taxi companies say they have been forced into such high fares by the fees payable to the airport for reserved spots adjacent to the arrival hall.

Currently three companies are competing for a tender for the coveted spots — Cheap Taksi, Merselita and Martono Taksi. The airport has accused each of price-gouging.
companies charge. The municipal government announced that Mayor Vilius Navickas would meet with Vilnius International Airport director Tomas Vaišvila about setting a fixed price.

“It does not promote tourism in Vilnius and is totally unacceptable,” Navickas said Monday about the expensive fares.

Vaišvila reported the taxi companies that have allocated bays at the airport to the competition council last week asking for the “cartel” to be investigated.

“The airport is the gateway to our town and country. Driving in a taxi is often the first contact a person will be confronted with in the urban service sector,” Vaišvila said last week, lambasting the ripoff racket as “unacceptable.”

For a price comparison, passengers could take the bus to the center for two litai, or the train service for 2.50 litai. A ride in a cheap taxi in normal traffic would cost passengers around 15 litai. Riding in one of expensive taxis could cost up to 60 litai.

Until October last year Martono Taksi was the only company with a spot in front of the arrivals terminals, but since then other companies were given the chance to bid for spots.

Taxi companies say they have been forced into such high fares by the fees payable to the airport for reserved spots adjacent to the arrival hall.

Currently three companies are competing for a tender for the coveted spots — Cheap Taksi, Merselita and Martono Taksi. The airport has accused each of price-gouging.
companies charge. The municipal government announced that Mayor Vilius Navickas would meet with Vilnius International Airport director Tomas Vaišvila about setting a fixed price.

“It does not promote tourism in Vilnius and is totally unacceptable,” Navickas said Monday about the expensive fares.

Vaišvila reported the taxi companies that have allocated bays at the airport to the competition council last week asking for the “cartel” to be investigated.

“The airport is the gateway to our town and country. Driving in a taxi is often the first contact a person will be confronted with in the urban service sector,” Vaišvila said last week, lambasting the ripoff racket as “unacceptable.”

For a price comparison, passengers could take the bus to the center for two litai, or the train service for 2.50 litai. A ride in a cheap taxi in normal traffic would cost passengers around 15 litai. Riding in one of expensive taxis could cost up to 60 litai.

Until October last year Martono Taksi was the only company with a spot in front of the arrivals terminals, but since then other companies were given the chance to bid for spots.

Taxi companies say they have been forced into such high fares by the fees payable to the airport for reserved spots adjacent to the arrival hall.

Currently three companies are competing for a tender for the coveted spots — Cheap Taksi, Merselita and Martono Taksi. The airport has accused each of price-gouging.[/private_subscription 1 month] [private_subscription 4 months]companies charge. The municipal government announced that Mayor Vilius Navickas would meet with Vilnius International Airport director Tomas Vaišvila about setting a fixed price.

“It does not promote tourism in Vilnius and is totally unacceptable,” Navickas said Monday about the expensive fares.

Vaišvila reported the taxi companies that have allocated bays at the airport to the competition council last week asking for the “cartel” to be investigated.

“The airport is the gateway to our town and country. Driving in a taxi is often the first contact a person will be confronted with in the urban service sector,” Vaišvila said last week, lambasting the ripoff racket as “unacceptable.”

For a price comparison, passengers could take the bus to the center for two litai, or the train service for 2.50 litai. A ride in a cheap taxi in normal traffic would cost passengers around 15 litai. Riding in one of expensive taxis could cost up to 60 litai.

Until October last year Martono Taksi was the only company with a spot in front of the arrivals terminals, but since then other companies were given the chance to bid for spots.

Taxi companies say they have been forced into such high fares by the fees payable to the airport for reserved spots adjacent to the arrival hall.

Currently three companies are competing for a tender for the coveted spots — Cheap Taksi, Merselita and Martono Taksi. The airport has accused each of price-gouging.[/private_subscription 4 months] [private_subscription 1 year]companies charge. The municipal government announced that Mayor Vilius Navickas would meet with Vilnius International Airport director Tomas Vaišvila about setting a fixed price.

“It does not promote tourism in Vilnius and is totally unacceptable,” Navickas said Monday about the expensive fares.

Vaišvila reported the taxi companies that have allocated bays at the airport to the competition council last week asking for the “cartel” to be investigated.

“The airport is the gateway to our town and country. Driving in a taxi is often the first contact a person will be confronted with in the urban service sector,” Vaišvila said last week, lambasting the ripoff racket as “unacceptable.”

For a price comparison, passengers could take the bus to the center for two litai, or the train service for 2.50 litai. A ride in a cheap taxi in normal traffic would cost passengers around 15 litai. Riding in one of expensive taxis could cost up to 60 litai.

Until October last year Martono Taksi was the only company with a spot in front of the arrivals terminals, but since then other companies were given the chance to bid for spots.

Taxi companies say they have been forced into such high fares by the fees payable to the airport for reserved spots adjacent to the arrival hall.

Currently three companies are competing for a tender for the coveted spots — Cheap Taksi, Merselita and Martono Taksi. The airport has accused each of price-gouging.[/private_subscription 1 year]

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