Auckland's airport taxi fare gap up to $60

Discount Taxis, quoted the Herald a cash fare of $40 to travel from the airport to SkyCity. Photo / NZ Herald

Readers reveal big contrast in what taxi companies charge passengers.

A price gap of up to $60 has emerged between taxi companies travelling from Auckland Airport to the city.

The Herald reported on Saturday that an undercover survey of four taxi companies travelling the same route found a difference of up to $40. One company, Black Cabs, charged $91.60, while the cheapest, booked through the app CabChooze, charged $50.83.

The Herald received feedback from readers after the story pointing to much cheaper deals, leading to a bigger difference of nearly $60.

A reporter yesterday took a pre-booked trip from the airport to the city with Cheap Cabs, costing only $33.

The company's website lists flat-rate fares to and from the airport.

Another company, Discount Taxis, quoted the Herald a cash fare of $40 to travel from the airport to SkyCity.

A Cheap Cabs customer, Steve Mascarenhas, said he'd used the taxis more than three times.

He had tried using other services, including apps and shuttles, but said for the same price as a shared shuttle, Cheap Cabs could take him directly to his door.

"One time I had booked a Cheap Cab, but they had no drivers available," Mr Mascarenhas said. "Instead of telling me they didn't have a cab available, they called another company to collect me, but I still paid the flat fare."

Last year Cheap Cabs' owner, Carol Ramsay, said her drivers were not charged overheads for joining the fleet, which kept prices low.

Last week's test showed some cab companies, including Black Cabs, paid a $2 levy to use the airport's taxi rank. Other companies - including Cheap Cabs and Uber - were unable to access this rank and had to wait in a different area.

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