Taxi drivers in Almaty are widely complaining about fines for stopping at the airport terminals and have declared a boycott of orders to that area. Drivers claim that fines are issued even after a brief drop-off of a passenger with luggage, reports infohub.kz.
For several days, messages from drivers who have faced fines at Almaty airport have been appearing on social media. One user posted a video showing signs at the terminals and explained where he believes dropping off passengers is allowed and where violations are recorded by cameras.
Particular dissatisfaction was caused by the "No Stopping" sign near the international terminal. Drivers note that previously it was possible to pull up closer to the building, drop off a passenger with suitcases, and leave. Now such a stop can result in a fine of 21,000 tenge.
"I was seeing off my sister on 07.08.26, drove up to the second floor of the international (new terminal), stopped at the entrance, took out the suitcase, and left. A week later, a fine of 21 thousand came," wrote one user.
Against this backdrop, a question arose: why is there an entrance to the second floor of the terminal if stopping there to drop off a passenger is not allowed?
According to the Almaty.official page on Threads, taxi drivers have begun refusing orders to the airport, fearing new fines.
Users' opinions are divided. Some believe that drivers receive fines due to improper stopping. One commenter claims that the sign prohibits parking, but stopping is allowed for up to five minutes – provided the car is not on a crosswalk.
Others point to traffic organization. If several flights arrive simultaneously, dozens of passengers may be looking for taxis at the same time, and the small drop-off zone quickly becomes overcrowded.
Moreover, fines do not arrive immediately, so some drivers do not yet know whether they have received a penalty after recent trips to the airport.
Essentially, the dispute is not only about fines. Drivers talk about the need for a proper pick-up and drop-off zone, while some users remind that signs must be followed and pedestrian crossings should not be blocked.
At the same time, it cannot be said that all issued fines are illegal. There are messages on social media from people who have entered the airport several times without problems and believe that it is enough to carefully watch the road signs.
"Kursiv" contacted the press service of Almaty airport for comment, but they redirected the request to the police department. As of publication, no response from the Almaty Police Department had been received.
Earlier, "Kursiv Auto" reported how a female driver was charged 128.5 thousand tenge for parking near Almaty airport, but after a check, the amount was canceled.