Confronting illegal airport drivers | A Current Affair

They're the illegal touts who get in your face as you leave the airport, asking if you want a ride, then charging outrageous prices when they drop you off.It was supposed to have been stamped out, but hasn't been.So, we turned the tables.

Why are you running?The Great Airport Chase.You know that touting's illegal, sir.They're pests, aren't they?Rats, mate.I'll bring the spray next time, hey?

You're aware that it's illegal to tout people?

You can't approach...

I'm not doing anything wrong, brother.8pm in Melbourne airport's crawling with illegal drivers called touters approaching incoming passengers.With the airport's permission, we set up an undercover sting.Hello, Mr. Touter.Sam Cucciaro with The Current Affair.Where are you taking these people?

Grouse, sea plough.

I'm not going with you then, brother.What did he say to you guys?

He's an illegal driver, so they approach people.I could smell a rat straight away because he went from 120 to 130.I said, nah mate, see you later.

I have dropped my friend here.You dropped your friend at the airport?Yeah.And you're looking to take a ride home?I came on the car.

I came on the taxi.And I'm going to home.I'm looking taxi.

This chowder claims he's dropped his friends off at the airport and he was just trying to find a ride home.So why have those passengers told me that you approached them?He may be your friend.

He's my friend.Yeah.I've never seen him before in my life.Yeah.Don't be smart with me, brother.I think you're a big liar.

The airport staff have told us they saw you taking somebody else today.You did the same thing.Show me.

Show me.Prove me. I'm here.

I'm looking Uber or taxi.From night to day, we spot this man approaching passengers at the domestic arrivals hall.There's a guy here at the Qantas arrivals.Time to confront him.Hello, sir.Oh, where are you running?

We don't even introduce ourselves.ourselves and he's off at hypersonic speed.Sam Kuchiara is my name, I'm from a current affair.Can I ask what you're doing out here today?Out the arrivals gate.I ride a marathon I can't keep up with you sir.

Where are you off to?Past the pickup zone.You're in an awful hurry.Back into the terminal.We're in the airport.Let's not make a scene of it.

Up the escalator.You know that touting's illegal, sir.And on to the final stretch.I'm out of breath.If the terminal dash was an Olympic sport, he'd surely jag gold.There he goes.

We catch our breath and not long, another frequent flyer prowling for passengers.Evening, sir.Here we go again.You don't want to ask me if I need a ride tonight?What are you doing at the airport this evening?I hope...

I hope you're not a runner too.Oh, not in the garden bed.This man prefers the high jump.You might want to jump off the road.There's a bus there.Careful.

There's a bulb.You don't want to get hit.The touts are no strangers to a current affair.

What are you doing out here?Have you arrived from somewhere?

Maybe somewhere E. We've exposed them time...

Who told you that?I saw you touting, sir.

Go and fix all the affairs.And time again.You know you can't tout in the airport.Why have you done that?It's illegal.

But I normally charge same like that.But it's illegal.You can't do it here.The best the customers can hope for is that they get ripped off.The worst cases we hear is potential assaults.We hear of customers being left away from their destination.

John McDermott from Melbourne Airport.We can often have them chased off the site in the morning and we can see them back in the evening.They often work in groups, they look out for each other.What they're doing is effectively cheating honest Uber and taxi drivers out of a living.

Safe Transport Victoria is responsible for fining touters.The taxpayer -funded government agency refused to tell us how many fines it's dished out.

We have specific our teams within our security service who track and manage touting across the airport.

Back at the arrivals hall a few hours and a couple of thousand steps later all seems quiet or so we think.You'll never guess who we've just spotted right over there.

We didn't think we'd see you back again so soon.It's barely been two hours.

He's not happy we're still here.

You're breaking the law.

Leave me alone, I don't know what you're doing.Why are you so angry?Put your umbrella down, please.Is this how you treat your passengers?Are you this rude to them?Off he goes once again, as this tout is still trying to convince me he's, well, not a touter.

Can you help me?Can I help you find a taxi?

You can catch a taxi over there.Yeah, thank you so much.Although, be careful, because there are touts on the loose tonight, so they might tout you.Yeah, thank you so much.All right, have a good night.You too, Sam.

No more touting.

Yeah, well done to Sam chasing down that story, because they sure are pests.Safe Victoria told us that touting has no place at the airport.No one was available, though, for an interview or to tell us just how many touters they've caught.Rest assured, we will stay on the case.