Uber Criticizes New LAX Policy Banning Rideshare Apps, Taxis From Picking Up Passengers From Their Terminals
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Uber is criticizing the Los Angeles International Airport after it announced major changes to its rideshare pick up policy.
In a letter to LAX, Uber said it is confused about new changes that will take place later this month.
Starting Oct. 29, LAX will ban Uber, Lyft, and taxi drivers from picking up passengers at their terminals.
Passengers will have to ride a shuttle or walk to a designated parking lot next to Terminal 1 to catch their ride.
The change has some passengers divided.
"I prefer not doing that," said passenger Pia Rotman. "I prefer taking an Uber or Lyft from the airport...After taking a long flight in, I would prefer to just jump in an Uber or Lyft."
Rideshare driver Larry Wascovich weighed-in on the issue saying, "Whatever works best for the airport...and make it easier on everybody."
LAX released a statement saying:
"We have requested that Uber share with us any detailed data that differs from out modeling results and substantiates the concerns in their letter, but they have not provided this data to us to date."
On Saturday, LAX gave the new experiment a three-hour trial run.
CBS2/KCAL9's Greg Mills said unmistakable green-colored shuttles will be transferring arriving passengers to a parking lot, near Terminal 1, near the airport's entrance, where they can pick up their ride shares.
The plan is for the shuttles to run about every 3-5 minutes to keep arriving passengers' wait times to a minimum.