Uber partners with AAI to provide rides from four airports

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Ride sharing company Uber on Thursday announced a partnership with Airports Authority of India (AAI) to offer easier options to riders for travelling from the airports.

The service will be operational at the airports in Kolkata, Chennai, Bhubaneswar and Pune in the next couple of weeks, Uber said in a statement.

Uber will set up booking zones at the airports, where even those who do not have the app will be able to book a ride, it said.

There will be a dedicated pickup zone outside arrival terminals, on-ground assistance and clear signages to guide the travellers to their car for pick up, it further said.

The Uber app will also enable riders to get specific pick up instructions, like terminal and door number, to reach their Uber driver.

"India's public transport networks have evolved considerably over the last few years and innovative services have played an instrumental role... I strongly believe that such services, when smartly integrated through public-private partnerships, can fill in the gaps of last-mile connectivity," Uber's statement said quoting Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha said.

The Uber service is presently available at over 20 airports in India, and at more than 200 airports globally, with presence at almost all major US and European airports.

Over 25 per cent of our active riders in India in the last three months travelled across cities and used Uber to go to airport or for commute in the destination city, the company said.