Be Aware of Touters at Melbourne Airport

jm7 on 19/11/2023 - 21:10
Last edited 19/11/2023 - 21:11

Hi all,

Just wanted to give everyone the heads up regarding the touters at Melbourne Airport.

A few months ago my inlaws (born overseas and came here as adults, very trusting and naive) were approached by a touter at Melbourne Airport asking if they wanted a taxi. The man was well dressed and appeared legitimate. They were charged $120 for a trip that would have been $60 normally because it was a limo service (no meter).

Tonight I saw a man and his mate loitering around the airport exit. They asked a young lady here on holiday if she needed a taxi. I ran and told her that it wasn't legit and she was being ripped off. Anyway, to cut a long story short, things escalated and he came up to me at the baggage carousel and started name calling, swearing and intimidating me. I then left and he followed me to pick up zone outside the Park Royal Hotel to "talk". It was a really scary situation.

I just want to make everyone aware that a legit taxi driver will not approach you at the airport asking if you want a taxi as it is illegal. Please tell your friends and family to only use rideshares or the legit taxi rank at the end of terminal 3. Unfortunately the taxi rank is tiny and signage is poor.

Travel Airport Melbourne Melbourne Airport Victoria

Comments

  • bigbadaboom on 21/11/2023 - 15:08
    +2

    good on you for pointing out the scum! if more people made a ruckus whenever they are around, that will hopefully discourage the practice altogether.

  • Protractor on 21/11/2023 - 15:19

    Now you know what happened to all those pesky traffic light windscreen cleaners.

    • R4 on 21/11/2023 - 15:24

      We've still got a few of those in Perth. Not as many as there were though thankfully.

      • Protractor on 21/11/2023 - 15:25
        +1

        Wind your window down a smidge and tell all the work is at Melb APort.

  • aveeno bb on 21/11/2023 - 16:17

    OP probably meant well, but that was just unnecessary.

    Everyone should do their own research when they are on holiday to avoid getting ripped off.

    After all, who would trust a taxi driver in any country? Even the most developed countries taxi drivers are better avoided.

    Don't risk yourself trying to do the "right" thing. It's not like they were kidnapping those holidaymakers.

    • Protractor on 21/11/2023 - 17:17
      -1

      You make some good points,most of which are twice as important using ride shares.
      There's also a big difference between 'real' hero and wannabe vigilante.

  • belongsinforums on 21/11/2023 - 19:05
    +1

    Pretty sure ACA or 7 news did a story about these assholes. Was pretty funny watching them squirm when the cameras came around

    • gee3k on 22/11/2023 - 11:36

      yeah I remember that, 100m dash to the mens toilets!! move over Usain Bolt!!

  • Al09 on 21/11/2023 - 21:18

    Ex cabbie become uber driver now this on the side …. That was why taxi went down shifty and cunning now i reckon soon uber.
    Service just sh!t and full of sh!t drivers nowadays….

  • Al09 on 21/11/2023 - 21:19

    Bunch of 457

  • R-Man on 21/11/2023 - 22:53
    -2

    @jm7 you've mentioned touting is illegal but I actually don't think it is

    It was for a long time, I remember seeing signs at Melbourne airport as a kid. But the laws changed and now those signs are gone, and touters are allowed to tout

    This article talks about how it stopped being an offence, but the Vic government looking to "bring back" the rule. I could not find the latest update though https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/touting-melbourne-…

  • qingyu on 22/11/2023 - 02:27

    i remember there is always voice warning in the pick up hall, “schauffeur driver is illegal“?

  • owieman on 22/11/2023 - 07:42

    If I had someone like that verbally abusing me I'd just start walking straight towards an AFP officer. I'm sure they'd back of pretty quickly.

  • [Deactivated] on 22/11/2023 - 08:30
    +4

    I used one years ago, back before Uber existed and when the taxi industry was a total joke. I remember numerous times where we'd get into a taxi at the airport, say where we were going, and the driver would refuse to go there because he wanted to go in the opposite direction (more fares that way?)

    The touter was a professional driver with a Holden Caprice on VHA plates. It was slightly more expensive than a taxi but a far better experience. No regrets.

    • CowFrogHorse on 22/11/2023 - 15:46
      -1

      Sitting in a car is an experience ?

      Will you be telling your grandchildren about the time you sat in a taxi for hours and hours when you are 80 and everyone is visiting for xmas ?

      • Daabido on 23/11/2023 - 22:29
        +1

        Probably, because they wouldn't believe the piss/shit/fart/spew smelling wheel bearings stuffed EF Falcon with 700,000 on the clock driven by a new arrival to our country who doesn't speak a word of English but is constantly carrying on a conversation on their phone in another language while weaving through traffic and taking the long way around to make some more money. Plus they are at the end of their 18 hour shift and start hallucinating.

  • BLAIL on 22/11/2023 - 09:39

    The start was like the plot of Taken but it ended on a good note

  • skillet on 22/11/2023 - 10:01

    There are many people in hi-vis vest working all over Melbourne airport, just report to them to the security with their walkie. They will fine them and have their car rego blacklisted from entering the airport. The drivers can join the Uber rank or advertise their services on facebook etc no need for these at the airport.

  • gee3k on 22/11/2023 - 11:25

    fkn taxi touters!!
    not just at Melb Airport.
    try being touted at Flemington during the spring carnival, walking towards epsom rd exit and just a number of these guys are touting saying 'you want taxi, you want taxi'
    normally, I don't care if they ask, and just politely refuse and walk on, but it gets borderline frustrating when you go to all the 4 events and get asked time and time again.
    you want to say to them that touting is illegal, but why bother? one goes another 10 more will emerge.
    also, if you want to fight fire with fire, lowball them a fare which they're going to laugh at and tell them that's all you deserve and walk off. :P

    • Daabido on 23/11/2023 - 22:30
      +1

      "Yes, I want a taxi, not a f'ker like you."

  • CowFrogHorse on 22/11/2023 - 13:29
    +1

    haha i laugh if you think the best scam is paying double for. taxi ride at the airport.

    The gov is building a new airport for Sydney. Costs for the airport, roads, trains are somewhere north of $50B, thats over $2000 for each Australia…

    Did i mention the extra traffic this will bring or how investors from overseas will put houseprices/mortgages up… and you cry about $60.

    • Duckie2hh on 22/11/2023 - 16:54

      well we all know Melbourne>Sydney so might as well build the new airport.

      • CowFrogHorse on 23/11/2023 - 10:50
        +1

        What benefits do you actually get as a family from a new airport ?

        Like i said above, YOU not only pay thousands for the airport. but you lose everywhere else in your personal life, and make zero benfits from the new airport.

  • McFly on 22/11/2023 - 14:26

    Who likes protracted conversations?

  • Yorkshire-Man on 22/11/2023 - 19:47

    This has been going on for decades. It only seems to be an issue at Melbourne Airport however so I can only assume the airport just turns a blind eye to it.

  • Meridianz on 22/11/2023 - 20:31
    +2

    Happened to me the other day. Was walking up to the ubers and guy came up to me saying he was my uber and show me his phone so he could check the details. Problem for him is I hadnt actually pressed the confirm button yet.. Told him to take a hike. Then someone else who saw me talking to that guy came up and said he would offer me an even better deal than that first guy and was reasonably pushy till he figured out it wasnt happening. 2 in the space of 1 minute.

    Was quite surprising so brazen. Sure it happens around the world, but this was much more in your face than most AU airports (and I tend to travel weekly) never had it in Brisbane/GC or Sydney where i travel most. .

  • THICKnSLOW on 22/11/2023 - 23:01
    +1

    Is there a Dob in A Touter FB group ?

    Take photos and post them up to shame them into a proper job

  • DemocracyManifest on 23/11/2023 - 20:14
    -1

    It's confusing af that airport - there's a huge uber terminal which is ridiculous. However I went with one of them once both ways, got his number, he didn't rip me off - 'well dressed' too. I can't see how $60 is a average fare for melbourne airport atm, no way, its closer to $80. Honestly it all was a bit unconventional but whatever. Surely there's more to this story then what you have said! He had a terminal but the cabcharge didn't work, on the return a cab came. I offered to pay via cc and he said 'i trust you' and that was that.

  • nowich on 23/11/2023 - 20:47
    +1

    Thanks mate for the post.
    I had a similar experience this September. But I refuse to take a suspicious taxi instead of an Uber.

  • zombrex on 23/11/2023 - 21:24

    The seem to operate with impunity makes you wonder if airport security is paid off.

  • artxty on 23/12/2023 - 19:50

    if Touters will give on the spot 60% discount and additional 10% by using code: OZBargain and accept my discounted tcn card, then it will make it top of the ozb deals. But seriously they should be banned in the airport.

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