As the airport has imposed infrastructure charges on its official taxi partners, the partnering companies want to pass this fee on to customers. As taxi service requirements in Tallinn are regulated with a dedicated city regulation, however, such a change will require approval from the city council to implement.

"Right now, taxi companies operating at the airport and at [Tallinn's passenger] port cannot add infrastructure charges to the customer's bill," Tallinn Deputy Mayor Tiit Terik (Center) told ERR's Russian-language online news portal. "However, if you order a Bolt taxi, for example, then that platform has already added this additional charge to the fare. But traditional taxis can't charge clients for this fee."

This summer, Tallinn Airport and the taxi companies sent Tallinn city government a joint appeal requesting changes be made to the current system, he noted.

"Following city government approval, I will submit the changes to the city council, and then the situation will change," Terik told ERR.

The proposed changes are being justified with the need to level the playing field between regular taxi companies and so-called "app taxis."

"Considering that Tallinn Airport's infrastructure charge is collected to support infrastructure sustainability and that cab companies don't generate any additional revenue from it, we are asking that taxi companies be permitted to charge this fee to all travelers using taxi services," Tallinn Airport, Forus Takso and Tallink Takso wrote in their joint appeal.

Forus Takso and Tallink Takso are the airport's two official taxi partners, whose taxis await passengers at taxi stands located immediately outside the terminal doors.

Tallinn City Council is expected to approve the changes sometime this month.

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