By Kendall Thiele/The Santiago Times
SANTIAGO – Nuevo Pudahuel announced that modifications to the exit of international airport in the Chilean capital will be made in order to combat the practice of hundreds of vendors that offer pirate taxi services at the terminal, known as “hacheros”.
The approved investment of 150 million pesos (roughly 224,000 US$) will begin late May and is expected to conclude in August, according to Coordinator of Concessions Eduardo Abedrapo.
The general manager of concessions, Nicolás Claude, explained that this new measure “will concentrate all the supply of public transportation in an island area prior to the public throughway.
There will also be a barrier separating the flow of passengers who do not need public transport. This includes passengers who have leased a vehicle or have already purchased tickets.
“This way, we limit the area where the “hacheros” can operate and better control who is allowed to drive up to the airport exit,” added Claude.
Pirate taxi services sometimes charge rates three times higher than licensed companies. These illegal practices remain in the area despite the work of authorities who tried to maintain a unique path, blocking the taking of passengers in the first and third floor of the airport.
