Passengers struggle to find cabs at Bengaluru airport amid mounting shortage

November 25, 2025 at 04:25 PM•2 min read•The Hindu Bureau

Passengers at Bengaluru airport face severe cab shortages, causing long waits and impacting travel to and from the busy hub.

Key Points

1Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) faces severe cab shortages, causing passenger wait times exceeding 45 minutes.
2The issue impacts 41.88 million annual passengers at one of India's busiest hubs, hindering crucial last-mile connectivity.
3Cab drivers avoid KIA trips due to high tolls, fuel costs, and unsustainable commissions from ride-hailing platforms.
4Calls for Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) to expand airport bus services to mitigate the ground transport crisis.

Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru, India, is experiencing a significant shortage of ride-hailing cabs, leading to prolonged wait times and growing frustration among passengers. Travelers arriving at or departing from one of India's busiest aviation hubs, which handled 41.88 million passengers last fiscal year, frequently encounter long queues at aggregator pick-up zones for services like Uber and Ola. This issue has reportedly worsened over recent months, transforming what was once a quick process into an uncertain and stressful ordeal, with some passengers waiting upwards of 45 minutes to an hour for a ride.

The persistent ground transportation problem at KIA is particularly critical given the airport's considerable distance of over 35 km from Bengaluru's Central Business District. Reliable last-mile connectivity is essential for passenger convenience and operational efficiency. Frequent flyers report that the situation is deteriorating daily, with drivers often declining rides, further exacerbating the uncertainty for those relying on app-based services.

Cab drivers attribute the shortfall to several financial disincentives, including the long distances involved in airport trips, substantial toll charges, rising fuel costs, and high commissions levied by ride-hailing companies. Many drivers contend that airport routes are no longer financially viable, leading them to avoid KIA. This economic imbalance between effort and earnings is a primary factor behind the dwindling availability of vehicles.

In response to the escalating crisis, some passengers have suggested that the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) should increase its airport bus services to provide a more dependable alternative for commuters. Without a revision of fare structures or an expansion of public transport options, the shortage of commercial ground transportation at Kempegowda International Airport is expected to persist, continuing to impact the overall passenger experience at this critical aviation gateway.