The next time you wonder whether there is an ATM at the airport while you are on your way to catch your flight, just ask your radio taxi driver. He will have all the information you will need. Radio taxi drivers will be the brand ambassadors for the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. And to that effect, around 30 radio taxi drivers of Meru and Sky Cabs are being taken on a tour of the domestic and international terminals by airport officials every Tuesday. There are about 800 radio cabs of Meru and Sky Cabs operating in Hyderabad.
The tour will end with a brief talk, wherein the drivers will be told how the airport functions, the security concerns, dos and don’ts, the restricted and prohibited article list, positive interaction with passengers (grooming, greeting, ensuring passengers check their belongings before they leave the taxi etc.), enhancing passenger experience, management of the cabs on the ramp etc. Mr Feroz Ali Khan, airport manager for Meru Cabs, said that a cab driver was the first contact point for most passengers, particularly for first time travellers. “Two batches of drivers have been trained so far; they are excited about helping passengers with information,” he said.
Mr Joseph Gattu, operations head, Sky Cabs said that drivers were thrilled with their maiden visit inside the airport and had developed a much stronger sense of belonging after the interaction. An airport official said that since a cab driver’s behaviour would give the first impression of an airport to a passenger, the airport had introduced the unique concept.