Melbourne Airport demands touting ban as government concedes action is needed

Passengers barely have time to collect their baggage before being harassed by dodgy drivers at Melbourne Airport, with crisis talks planned to tackle the growing nuisance.

Melbourne Airport is demanding the state government bring back the ban on touting as it is inundated with horror stories from travellers about the “predatory behaviour” of rogue drivers.

Passengers say they are sick of being harassed by dodgy taxi and hire car operators, who have been targeting people collecting their baggage since the law was relaxed last year.

The airport is warning that allowing touters — who often fleece travellers with exorbitant fares — is putting the safety and security of the public at risk, and harming the experience for visitors to Melbourne.

The government is now planning crisis talks as it admits changes may be needed to protect passengers.

Touting drivers try to take business from taxis queued up at the airport. Picture: Jason Edwards

“No one should feel pestered or ­intimidated when they’ve jumped off a plane and just want to get home,” a spokesman said last night.

The Herald Sun can reveal the ­airport identified 50 touting incidents in just half an hour during a survey in March.

In an effort to convince the government to give police the power to fine touters, the airport has made public a series of alarming complaints from passengers.

One was harassed by three men, one of whom was also “eyeing off a single attractive female for some time and then asking if she required a taxi”.

“This is predatory behaviour and Melbourne Airport will be held accountable should any misadventure occur,” the traveller said.

A specific touting offence was removed from the state’s laws last year as part of the government’s reforms to legalise ride-sharing services.

Opposition public transport spokesman David Davis said the government had ignored warnings that the change “would lead to tuktuk-style ­deception and chaos”.

“Labor’s taxi legislation is a dog’s breakfast and it’s incumbent upon Daniel Andrews to clean it up,” he said.

Airport parking and ground access chief Lorie Argus, in a submission to a parliamentary review of the laws, said the airport was “constantly receiving complaints” about touting.

Melbourne Airport parking and ground access chief Lorie Argus. Picture: Nicole Garmston

“Touting creates significant issues for the operation of the forecourt and surrounding road network and for the experience of passengers,” she said.

“We are also concerned about the security and safety risks that touting creates as we are unable to ensure that drivers have the necessary Victorian driver accreditation or have passed driver history and national criminal history checks.”

One traveller complained that touts “looked like thugs” while another said they were “aggressive” and “ripping off unsuspecting people”.

Another passenger said: “The taxi touts leer and lurk and it’s badly lit and it’s just downright nasty.”

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Commercial Passenger Vehicles Victoria has been tasked with monitoring touting at the airport, and is now set to hold meetings with the industry in the next two months to consider how a new touting offence could be introduced.

“We’re working closely with industry to address this issue, including looking at further measures protect passengers from inappropriate touting,” a government spokesman said.

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