Lisbon's airport has become a hotspot for taxi-related complaints, with passengers reporting rigged meters, unnecessary detours, and demands for cash-only payments. A recent police operation at Humberto Delgado Airport has now confirmed the scale of the problem, uncovering dozens of offences in a single day.
The Public Security Police (PSP) said on Wednesday that during Tuesday's inspection, officers checked around 100 taxis at the arrivals area and detected 67 violations. The most common issue was improper positioning of the taximeter, accounting for 32 of the offences. Other problems included missing taxi driver certificates, expired fire extinguishers, and vehicles lacking mandatory documentation or inspection.
Two drivers were found with outdated taximeter calibration, and one was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. The PSP also issued two notices for document presentation and handled two outstanding requests related to one driver.
Tourists share their experiences
The operation follows a wave of social media posts and articles detailing alleged scams at the airport. Josien Nation, a foreign content creator living in Portugal, described taxis as "a trap for tourists" in a Facebook video posted on 14 August. She outlined two common scenarios: either the driver negotiates a fixed price and leaves the meter off, or the meter is never switched on, leaving the fare to the driver's discretion.
A Reddit user recounted being charged between €19 and €21 for a trip from the airport to Largo do Rato, which normally costs around €11. The user said drivers either took detours of several kilometres or used fake taximeters on their phones, then insisted on cash payment.
Zeynep Tinaz Redmont, a Turkish journalist based in Portugal, wrote in Diário de Notícias in May about a stressful return journey from the airport. When she pointed out that the meter was not running, the driver braked sharply and demanded a fixed €25 fare. She eventually negotiated down to €20, but the experience left her wary.
These accounts highlight a broader issue of tourist vulnerability at major transport hubs. Similar concerns have been raised at other European airports, though Lisbon's situation has drawn particular attention due to the frequency of complaints.
Industry pushback
The PSP's operation has not been welcomed by the National Association of Road Transport in Light Vehicles (ANTRAL), which represents taxi drivers. In a statement, ANTRAL accused the police of staging a "media show" at the airport's taxi rank, arguing that the visible presence of officers paralyses passenger boarding and leaves the rank deserted, giving tourists a "degrading and frightening" image of Portugal.
The association said it supports inspections and has been fighting illegal touting at the airport, but it contests the location and method of the operation, particularly the fact that vehicles were checked while passengers were already on board. ANTRAL suggested the operation may have been aimed at "other ends" rather than genuinely protecting users.
Lisbon's taxi troubles come amid broader pressures on the city's transport and housing. As student housing costs soar, the city is grappling with how to balance tourism growth with local needs. The airport, a key gateway for millions of visitors each year, has become a flashpoint for these tensions.
For now, the PSP says it will continue its inspections to ensure compliance with taxi regulations. Passengers are advised to insist on the meter being switched on and to ask for a receipt, though as the recent complaints show, even these precautions may not always be enough.
