Fixed taxi fares introduced at Lisbon Airport

According to The Portugal News, since this Thursday Lisbon airport has applied a fixed rate for taxi rides that start at the official taxi stand. The fare is 16 or 19 euros, depending on the destination zone, Carlos Silva, president of the Portuguese taxi association FPT, told the Lusa news agency. The system initially applies to all taxi drivers, including drivers who are not yet accredited. The agreements are laid down in a protocol that the municipality of Lisbon, airport manager ANA and the tourist organization ATL concluded together with the taxi association in September. The Público newspaper reported that the system will not be fully operational until November and will then include more destinations.

Fixed rates for airport taxis should give travelers clarity in advance about the price and prevent arbitrariness when boarding, a topic that also plays a role in the Netherlands for journeys to and from Schiphol or Rotterdam The Hague Airport. In the Rijnmond region, more and more taxi companies are choosing to agree a fixed price in advance for airport and long journeys instead of working with a meter, precisely to avoid these types of surprises.