What should have been a simple exit from Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport has turned into a tiring ordeal for many passengers landing at Terminal 1. A recent change in taxi pickup rules now requires travellers to walk nearly a kilometre just to board a cab a move that has triggered anger among flyers and protests from taxi drivers.

Until recently, yellow-board taxis could pick up passengers directly outside the arrivals gate. That convenience is now gone. Passengers are instead being directed to distant parking zones such as P3 and P4, forcing them to haul luggage across long stretches of airport roads.

For elderly travellers, families with children, and people returning from long flights, the walk has been especially exhausting. Several passengers said there were not enough trolleys, unclear signboards, and little on-ground assistance. Some even complained that buggy services refused to carry luggage to the far-off pickup points.

The change has also hit taxi drivers hard. Yellow-board taxi operators staged a protest near the airport toll plaza, saying the rule unfairly targets them and even affects private yellow-board vehicles. Drivers argue that the restriction has disrupted their work and reduced earnings, while making pickups slower and more chaotic.

Adding to the confusion are new “overstay” rules. Private vehicles are allowed just eight minutes of free waiting time at arrival points. After that, charges kick in, and vehicles that linger too long risk being fined or towed. Many passengers said coordinating pickups within such a short window is unrealistic, especially when flights are delayed.

Social media has been flooded with complaints. One senior citizen shared a video saying his trusted cab driver of 15 years was denied entry and labelled “unauthorised,” forcing him and his family to walk over a kilometre despite health issues and heavy luggage.

Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL), which operates the airport, defended the move, saying it was necessary to improve safety and reduce congestion.

“At Bengaluru airport, passenger safety and convenience are our top priorities. With daily passenger and vehicle volumes continuing to rise, it became necessary to bring greater discipline and clarity to arrival pick-up areas to prevent congestion, unsafe halts, and confusion at the kerbside,” a BIAL spokesperson said. The spokesperson added, “The new pick-up measures are designed to create a safer, smoother, and more predictable experience for passengers.”

BIAL also rejected suggestions that the move was aimed at revenue generation. “These systems are standard practice at leading global airports. This is not about enforcement or revenue generation,” the spokesperson said.

Airport authorities have promised support for passengers with mobility challenges, senior citizens, and families through buggies and shuttle services. They also said the system is being monitored and will be refined over the next couple of months.

Still, for many travellers, the frustration remains. This is not the first time such rules have been introduced a similar attempt earlier this year was rolled back after public backlash.

For now, passengers continue to ask a simple question, why should reaching a taxi feel harder than catching a flight?