Ride-hailing service Uber has already become ubiquitous on the streets of many major American cities. Now the company wants to conquer U.S. airports as well.
Uber is brokering deals with airports around the country to allow its drivers to pick up arriving passengers in the same way traditional taxis do, the New York Times reports. Airports often fine non-registered drivers who try to pick up passengers curbside, so in places like Atlanta, Uber users sometimes sit in the front seat and load their own luggage into a driver’s car so it looks more like they’re being picked up by a friend than hailing a ride. However, other cities such as Nasvhille have fully embraced ride-sharing apps and now have a separate lane for passengers being picked up by Uber and services like it.
The stakes for airports are high because they charge fees to traditional taxis, and would likely want to do the same to Uber. Airports could also be liable for any accidents involving Uber cars that occurred on the highways they own and maintain.