The PSP seized 2808.34 euros from an illegal transport agent at Humberto Delgado Airport in Lisbon. The 41-year-old man was intercepted while approaching four potential clients, who didn’t press charges. In 2024, more than 400 offences were recorded at the capital’s airport alone.
In practice, passengers are usually lured with lower prices than those charged by taxis and TVDE by people who are not authorised to offer such transport.
“The suspects claim to be legally qualified professionals to carry out this transport, either within the TVDE platform or Lisbon Airport taxi service, deceiving the passengers they question into believing that they are duly accredited for the purpose, charging them amounts that are not stipulated in any legal diploma,” the PSP Lisbon Metropolitan Command explained in a statement on Saturday.
Once at their destination, some of the clients they’ve recruited are also confronted with charges that are “completely different to those agreed”. At this point, they become victims of “fraud or extortion” offences. The PSP has recorded cases of both administrative offences and criminal practices.
In 2023, almost a thousand administrative offences associated with the phenomenon were recorded at Humberto Delgado Airport alone, an average of around 80 per month, with the total value of the fines rising to one million euros. In 2024, the data points to a slight increase in the number of offences, with an average of 100 per month until 30 April. In the statement, the PSP doesn’t specify how many offences were detected in parallel.
The phenomenon is common to other European airports, including Porto. In the case of Lisbon, the PSP points out that “taxis are taken exclusively in the arrivals hall” and TVDEs “in their own car park and always via a platform”. None are located inside the Humberto Delgado Airport terminal.