Manila airport taxi driver arrested after scamming Austrian travel bloggers

[TimL]

A Manila airport taxi driver whose bare-faced attempt to scam two Austrian travel bloggers went viral online has been arrested.

The YouTubers, Mike & Nelly, have today (Wednesday, May 8) expressed their “deep appreciation” to airport authorities after they took action.

In their video — which has racked up 175,000 views since it was posted on Monday — the driver tried to force the couple to pay extra for their luggage. 

Being regular visitors to the Philippines, the ‘vloggers’ refused to pay up, stressing that they were aware that no such additional payment was necessary.

After filming an argument with the driver, now identified as Jhumil Bule, he stopped his cab in a deserted street and ordered the couple to get out. After they refused, he continued to drive, but took them on an obvious detour.

In the opening of the video [watch below] on their ‘Making it Happen Vlog’ channel, Mike says: “I’m a little bit shaky right now, I’ve just been attacked by a cab driver.”

Action against Manila airport taxi drivers

After catching wind of the driver’s behaviour, airport authority general manager Ed Monreal ordered the Intelligence and Investigation Department under Colonel Roque Alcantara to identify him.

After he was tracked down and hauled to the airport’s intelligence office, Mr Monreal personally appeared and gave him a tongue lashing before ordering him to surrender his licence.

He also ordered airport police authorities to ban the entire fleet of white DAVIS taxis from all Nino Aquino International Airport (NAIA) terminals.

“Beginning last Monday, May 6, we have removed the white taxi queuing lane in NAIA Terminal 1 as a prelude to eventually putting an end to the privilege given to them to line up and pick up passengers in the four terminals,” he said.

“This campaign against abusive taxi drivers also extends to the drivers of MIAA accredited transport services. No one is exempted here. We have no room for people who continue to destroy the reputation of NAIA and damage the image of our country before the world. Sadly, this people simply have no love for country.” 

Charges against the driver will be filed before the Pasay City prosecutor’s office.

Last year, the airport’s Customer Relations Center recorded 301 complaints against white taxis. So far this year, 56 have been received. 

However, it should be noted that not all Manila airport taxi drivers are bad eggs. In April last year, for example, we reported on one who voluntarily returned $3,000 in cash that was left in his cab.

......................................

Admin note.

Link removed. It's been explained before that source or link to that source ( website) is not permitted on this forum.

Edited May 9, 2019 by Jollygoodfellow
Removed link to site which is not permitted.

[Dave Hounddriver]

Here is another news story about different vloggers who complained about a taxi company and had the entire company banned from picking up at the airport.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/03/27/18/this-is-the-most-crazy-scam-food-blogger-rants-about-taxi-scam-in-ph

The problem I see is a lack of taxis in the first place.  You have to line for a long time at the airport so banning entire groups of drivers is not going to last long.  The public need rides.  That is why the drivers can scam in the first place.  It is because the demand is so much higher than the supply.

[Gary D]

I think the lack of taxis is more due to the full line in the carpark being fed by the fixers.

[JDDavao II]

1 hour ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

The problem I see is a lack of taxis in the first place.  You have to line for a long time at the airport so banning entire groups of drivers is not going to last long.  The public need rides.  That is why the drivers can scam in the first place.  It is because the demand is so much higher than the supply.

So much of my experience here is a-typical. I've hardly ever had to wait for taxis at the airport here in Davao - even in the rain. Then again, I once tried to count the number of taxi "companies" I saw when I went out and stopped after a few dozen. It's like anyone with a car can become a taxi company.

I feel for those who have to hassle with taxi drivers.

[Jack Peterson]

6 hours ago, JDDavao said:

I feel for those who have to hassle with taxi drivers.

 Sometimes it would be nice, as many know, the Word TAXI is not in the Dumaguete vocabulary 

[Jollygoodfellow]

Personally only the very first time here many moons ago did I receive anything that should not happen and that was arriving at the hotel for an agreed price and the no change sir reply.

One other  almost 3 years ago I noticed the meter was not on but at the time I traveled that route several times and when l got back to my hotel l just handed what l knew was the price and got out. No drama. 

[canadamale]

I just landed at terminal one, proceeded to the white taxi que. Alas no regular taxi stand. There is yellow cab and another cab stand saying coupon taxi. Coupon taxi was closer so I approached then 1100 piso sir to my address in Makati. I say regular cab is 190 piso. No more regular cab was the reply.  We agreed on 440 piso and I preceded on my way. Aaaarg the last thing I need or want after a long tiring plane ride is a argument over my taxi fare. I for one miss the regular cab. 

[Clermont]

Grab works well over there, never had problems with them, price is fixed and you wait no longer than in a line waiting for a taxi. Had the same problem, a taxi driver tried to jack the price up, silly boy, he was still driving and I opened the back door to get out, he was still moving. No more arguments on fare price, but be shore your seatbelt is secure. " your crazy you Australians," was his parting words as he dropped us off at our destination. Must have got the Nationalities mixed up, he must have mistook me for a Yank. 

[Mick]

I meant to write this a few weeks ago but forgot, I landed back in terminal 1 around 3 weeks ago, and went to get a taxi, in a grab its normally around 550 peso to my house, but at 3am empty outside so I thought I will get a normal taxi, there is a price board out side for the white taxis, and it's 740 peso to my place, as I'm a smoker and just finshed 16 hours of flying, I normally find a taxi who will let me smoke with the window open for an extra 100 peso, any way I thought I would try the yellow taxis there.... Big mistake, I went over to the desk, straight away they started putting my bags in the boot (trunk) then hit me with a price of 2000 peso.... After laughing at them for a few mins I said give me back my case, which started a big paw wow, and me shouting so loud the security came over who also said it's a fair price, I took my phone out and pretended to video (was still turned off from the flight) and asked the driver the desk and the security to repeat the cost and started filming them and the car number plates, they took my luggage out, all hid there faces and the security guard suddly no English.... So I walked over the road and got a white taxi for 740 as stated on the board, and he let me smoke. I have now heard this from several people here telling me avoid the yellow taxis..... 

[Dave Hounddriver]

1 hour ago, Mick said:

I have now heard this from several people here telling me avoid the yellow taxis

For those who are not familiar with both Manila and Cebu.  The yellow taxis in Cebu/Mactan are not bad.  They charge double what you would pay in a Cebu white cab because they are "airport taxis" so they are expected to come back empty whereas the regular white cabs are expected to get a fare both ways.  It is more money but I have not yet been charged more (or less) than the expected double fare when getting one at the airport.