Time taken from landing at KLIA to checking in at hotel...

[S V Choong 4]

Another issue about KL taxi is that the drivers refuse most destinations with "...traffic jam-lah..." as the common excuse. In Hong Kong and Far East, which also experience traffic jams (though not as bad as KL) this is illegal, drivers cannot refuse any destination. They risk their licenses being revoked if passengers lodge a complaint with public authorities.

 

In HK, I was often given the options of which route to take by the taxi driver. They will tell you which route will have more traffic and which one have less. This is the main thing I like about HK taxi, some of them are quite professional, avoid traffic jam is in the interests of both parties.

 

The situation is different in KL. I always want to avoid taking taxis as much as possible, as they could rip you off or you run the risk of getting beaten up and have your belongings stolen! I would rather rely on KLIA Ekspres, LRTs and Monorail.

 

Thumbs up also for Singapore taxis. Their service is quite satisfactory too

Edited August 5, 2007 by S V Choong

[Isaac 0]

Another issue about KL taxi is that the drivers refuse most destinations with "...traffic jam-lah..." as the common excuse. In Hong Kong and Far East, which also experience traffic jams (though not as bad as KL) this is illegal, drivers cannot refuse any destination. They risk their licenses being revoked if passengers lodge a complaint with public authorities.

Sometimes they will not reject you. Instead they will say : "aiya, traffic jam lah now. Erm ... (cab driver thinking ...) RM30, ok ?"

 

RM30 from Mid-Valley Megamall to Legend Hotel. You've got to be kidding me, right ? <_>

 

[Keith T 2]

They refused to even allow me to pay the difference for an upgrade to the 'executive service.' I was told that my coupon is non-refundable and that I'd have to pay for a brand new ticket if I switched to the 'executive service.' Perhaps the 'budget taxi' and 'executive service' taxi services are operated by different companies?

Edited August 5, 2007 by Keith T

[TW Teo 0]

Can anyone enlighten as to whether these scenes with students still occur at British airports ?

It's still the same these days, students are still grouped to 'special' counters... although not as bad as 6 hours!

[Denny Yen 0]

They refused to even allow me to pay the difference for an upgrade to the 'executive service.' I was told that my coupon is non-refundable and that I'd have to pay for a brand new ticket if I switched to the 'executive service.' Perhaps the 'budget taxi' and 'executive service' taxi services are operated by different companies?

I didn't had any problem in 2005 when I did this. If the word "Non-refundable" does not appear anywhere on the counter or coupon...they broke the law when they refuse to refund. My experience with Malaysian-style customer services is that staff has tendency adopt double standards...if it's a Caucasian customer = then anything is possible. If it's Asian/Malaysian-faced person = everything is not possible. 3 years ago, I wanted to exchange a damaged merchandise at Suria KLC...store manager refused, but when the missus (who is Japanese) tried 1 hour later, the manager allowed it "no questions asked" (same item, same shop, same manager). Maybe one should have adopted the style applied by the guy with a mouthful of "Fs"...he is probably a Malaysian fed-up (frustrated) in dealing with Malaysian-style customer services.

Sometimes they will not reject you. Instead they will say : "aiya, traffic jam lah now. Erm ... (cab driver thinking ...) RM30, ok ?"RM30 from Mid-Valley Megamall to Legend Hotel. You've got to be kidding me, right ? <_>Bloody vampires...

Edited August 5, 2007 by Denny Yen

[Seth K 3]

Sometimes they will not reject you. Instead they will say : "aiya, traffic jam lah now. Erm ... (cab driver thinking ...) RM30, ok ?"

 

RM30 from Mid-Valley Megamall to Legend Hotel. You've got to be kidding me, right ? <_>

Haha, that happen to me all time! It's not even traffic jam, most of the time from the Ritz Residence to my school, the hotel greeter will get me a taxi, and they negotiate the price, and the hotel dude come to me say RM 20 from there to Ampang ISKL, at 6:30AM One time, I try to get a taxi, saw a couple of taxis but the drivers ask me to wait for his meal infact he's talking with his frens, oh what can I do As for busy place, they will immediately refuse you.......same concept apply to Chinatown!

Edited August 5, 2007 by Seth K

[BC Tam 2]

We once tried to get a cab from Masjid Jamek (heavy traffic already) to Park Royal, Bukit Bintang (solid grid lock) - all cabbies just plain declined ! For once, I could not bring myself to fault the drivers, it was near suicide to even attempt getting into the area, let alone negotiate the traffic !

[BC Tam 2]

It's still the same these days, students are still grouped to 'special' counters .....

Ah, good to see they're still offering the complete British education experience !

[Denny Yen 0]

We once tried to get a cab from Masjid Jamek (heavy traffic already) to Park Royal, Bukit Bintang (solid grid lock) - all cabbies just plain declined ! For once, I could not bring myself to fault the drivers, it was near suicide to even attempt getting into the area, let alone negotiate the traffic !

This was something I experienced in late 80s when I was still in secondary school...the jams are particularly bad after afternoon rain, and can stretch from Bank Negara roundabout all the way to Cheras. And from Dataran Merdeka it can go all the way to Sentul.

 

Bear in mind in 1980s and early 1990s, that was before IntraKota buses, LRT, Putra and KTM electric train services. And despite 17 years have past, the problem still persists...

[KK Lee 5]

 

KUL is one of the few airports don’t permit city taxi to pick up pax at airport. As the result, taxi fare to and from the airport is inefficient and expensive, typical third world mentality, a reason why KUL can’t be efficient, productive, successful like BKK or SIN.

 

The ground transportation system (Star, Putra, KTM, LRT) in KL were built to make money from construction and not from operating, is another story.

 

 

[S V Choong 4]

The ground transportation system (Star, Putra, KTM, LRT) in KL were built to make money from construction and not from operating, is another story.

 

That explains why we often see reconstruction work roads around KL a few years or months after it was constructed. It is probably never properly planned out in the first place!! More money can be generated by reconstruction too!