Taxi drivers today met with the Land Public Transport Commission (Spad) to press for reinstatement of a RM12 surcharge to ferry passengers to the KL International Airport (KLIA).

The surcharge was abolished through a directive last May but recently caused confusion when Spad officials sprung fines on drivers who didn't comply or were unaware of the ruling at KLIA.

Taxi drivers fined from RM300 to RM500 for including RM12 to their total taxi fare, however, fumed that Spad enforcers did not evenly carry out the policy.

"If the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) can (allow surcharge), why not KLIA? There is a double standard going on," said Amran Jain, representative from the Metered Taxi Drivers Action Force (BBPTB).

Under a directive issued last May to taxi operatiing companies, Spad ruled that the RM12 should be abolished for all trips to KLIA and KLIA2 for budget, premiere, and executive taxis as well as Teksi 1Malaysia (Teks1M), with the exception of trips to the LCCT.

Spad had said that the move was in exchange for allowing "city taxis" to pick up passengers at KLIA, which is about 40 kilometres away from the KL city centre.

Amran, however, complained that most taxis had to wait hours at the airport to pick up passengers and justified the RM12 surcharge.

"Our major demand to ask for the abolishment of the rule is to ask to overcome bureaucracy in implementing the law. There are many taxi drivers who are victimised by the law because they don't know that the surcharge has been abolished.

"We don't want a confrontation between taxi drivers and Spad. We didn't come to attack Spad but only want a win-win situation, to streamline the law," he said.

Besides Amran, leaders of budget taxi associations from Shah Alam, Hulu Langat and Kajang  also turned up at the Spad office, near KL Sentral, at about 3pm today.

Police presence was heavy at the office lobby in anticipation of a protest, but only less than a dozen taxi association representatives, in white uniforms, showed up.

They left amicably after an hour-long  meeting with Spad officials.

Speaking to reporters after the meet, Spad Road Public Transport Division head Zamri Mahmud said that their demands will be considered by the authorities.

"We will bring up the complaint to management as soon as possible and revert back to them with a decision. But for now we ask that taxi drivers follow the directives issued," Zamri said. "At the same time we are happy to have a new channel of engagement between Spad and the taxi drivers directly."

Previously, Spad mostly drew up its policies based on discussions with taxi operator companies.

Meanwhile, Zamri said that taxi drivers who received fines could appeal to Spad and their cases will be reviewed.