Responding to allegations of “gross profiteering at the airshow” the organiser, Experia Events, has clarified that they do not.
In a statement the organiser said, “Experia Events has been working closely with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and local taxi companies on transport arrangements for every edition of the Singapore Airshow. This includes collaborating with local taxi companies to conduct briefings and on-site orientation sessions for their drivers to inform them about the transport arrangements for Singapore Airshow 2016.”
Trade visitors to the exhibition can only access the venue via cabs of approved taxi-operators and will be subjected to a $10 surcharge. Alternatively, they may pay S$8 for a shuttle bus ride to Singapore Expo.
All surcharges and the shuttle bus fares go directly to the taxi-drivers and shuttle bus operators respectively. Members of the public who have bought tickets for this weekend’s show days are also entitled to board the airshow shuttle buses to and from Singapore Expo for free.
Trade visitors who have visited the exhibition in the last 2 days have complained of waiting for over an hour to get a taxi.
Worst planning Singapore Airshow. Look at the taxi queue. Been in line for over 45mins and still not moving. Please do something about it
Posted by Oliver Stewart on Tuesday, February 16, 2016
This is due to a near-10 percent increase in visitor numbers and the usual high demand during peak period on the first day of the Singapore Airshow led to “longer waiting times than normal” for taxis at the venue, the organiser said on today (Feb 17).
There has also been complaints of inflexibility on the part of the organisers.
Expedia Events makes Singapore a disgrace because we cannot even solve a simple problem like getting taxis into the…
Posted by Sophia Huang on Tuesday, February 16, 2016
It was necessary to better manage traffic congestion, Experia Events explained. They learnt this from the experience of organising the last edition of the airshow in 2014.
A trade visitor who preferred to remain anonymous reportedly said that compared to the last edition in 2014, this year’s situation was not as bad. “You expect this. It’s a big show,” he said.
Trade visitors who are at the exhibition representing a company are also very likely to be reimbursed for such incidental transport related expenses.