Mexico fines Cancun airport $3.7 million for taxi monopoly

MEXICO CITY – Mexico’s anti-monopoly agency has fined the Cancun international airport the equivalent of about $3.7 million for not allowing more taxis to compete and lower fares for travellers.

The federal competition commission said the airport improperly resisted allowing more taxis at the airport, resulting in prices that were about 8% higher than they should have been.

Over eight years studied by the agency, that was estimated to cost travellers almost $5 million in higher fares.

The agency says the airport got a cut of each fare, suggesting it kept fares high to maintain that income. It ordered the airport to evaluate potential new competitors fairly and allow them to enter service quickly if they meet applicable standards.

The airport operator, a company known as ASUR, says it will appeal the decision.