CARD DECLINED: Taxi driver short-changed as hotel staff refuses to ‘disturb’ their guest

A licensed taxi driver has been left out of pocket after a fare dodger managed to evade payment at a well known hotel in London’s swanky Mayfair area.

The incident, revealed by Lloyd Baldwin, Senior Officer at the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA), highlights the challenges cabbies face when relying on card payments.

The situation unfolded when the driver dropped off a customer at a well known London hotel in Mayfair. The fare, totalling around £30, was initially attempted to be paid by card. However, the transaction failed, and when retried, the card company requested a signature, which the customer provided.

The driver, in an attempt to ensure payment, asked the customer to wait while the transaction was processed. However, as the payment device struggled to connect, the customer gave up waiting and proceeded into the hotel. The driver, thinking a change of position might improve the signal, moved slightly, but the payment was ultimately declined.

Faced with the prospect of circling back in heavy traffic, the driver opted to contact the hotel directly. Despite multiple attempts to recover the payment, it is claimed that the hotel staff showed little interest. Initially, they claimed not to recognise the guest, only to later admit they knew the individual but refused to disturb them.

Repeated assurances from the hotel that they would investigate and return the call yielded no results. Even when the driver returned to the hotel in person, they were met with indifference and asked to wait for a follow-up call that never came.

This incident serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities taxi drivers face when relying on card payments, and the lack of support they sometimes receive from businesses when issues arise.