Singapore Airshow organisers defend ban on taxi bookings, confident in handling crowd

SINGAPORE — The ban on taxi bookings at the Singapore Airshow this week — a first for the biennial event — is meant to manage traffic congestion, said the organisers on Friday (Feb 19) as they expressed confidence in handling the potential surge in visitors when the show is opened to the public this weekend.

The number of visitors on Saturday and Sunday has been capped at 85,000. The figure — 5,000 higher than the cap in 2014 — was decided after the last airshow, said the organisers, Experia Events.

Experia’s managing director Leck Chet Lam added: “We have already worked with the Land Transport Authority and taxi companies, and you will see that the incoming (taxis) have increased dramatically after day one.

“All these measures we will carry on to do to make sure the weekend is also a good experience for visitors.”

Mr Leck said there will be sufficient shuttle buses to ferry a majority of the visitors, whom he expects will choose to take the bus.

The shuttle rides, which ply the route between Changi Exhibition Centre — where the airshow is being held — and Singapore Expo, are free for visitors this weekend. The shuttle ride for trade visitors during the weekdays had cost S$8 each way.

Defending the ban on taxi bookings, Mr Leck said: “If you have 60 or 70 of (the cabs) coming into the compound, I think that adds to the congestion ... (the ban) is just really for proper traffic congestion management.”

The long wait for cabs — stretching past two-and-a-half-hours for many — on Tuesday, the first day of the show, had some visitors and participants urging for taxi bookings to be allowed.

Online, many also criticised the organisers for their poor handling of the cab situation, while others felt that taxi drivers should have responded to the high demand.

The situation improved on Wednesday after Experia Events stepped up the frequency of shuttle buses and worked with the authorities and taxi companies to encourage cabbies to head to the airshow venue.

In response to comments that the organisers are profiteering by charging high prices for shuttle buses and cabs, an Experia spokesperson said the cab surcharges go directly to the taxi drivers.

Bus fares have also remained the same as the previous airshow in 2014, he added.

Apart from the S$8 bus-ride each way, taxi rides from the venue are subject to a S$10 surcharge. Bicycles and other personal mobility devices to the area are also prohibited.

Singapore Airshow 2016 saw close to a 10 per cent increase in trade visitors, as well as a nearly 5 per cent increase in the number of VIP delegations, said Experia.