Bengaluru man spots 40 people waiting for Uber while Ola cabs sit idle, shares reason

A LinkedIn post on passengers waiting for Uber over readily available Ola cabs at Bengaluru airport sparked debate online. The discussion centred on whether familiarity and trust matter more to consumers than price or convenience.

Bengaluru man spots 40 people waiting for Uber while Ola cabs sit idle, shares reason (Photo: Representational Image from Pexels)

Bengaluru, UPDATED: Jun 18, 2026 14:15 IST

A Bengaluru man triggered a discussion on brand loyalty and consumer behaviour after sharing how dozens of travellers at Bengaluru airport continued waiting for Uber despite Ola cabs being readily available nearby.

Akash Kotalwar, who is based in Bengaluru, shared the experience in a post on LinkedIn, recalling what he witnessed after landing at Terminal 2 of Kempegowda International Airport.

According to Kotalwar, the Uber GO pickup area had a waiting time of around 30 minutes, with nearly 30 to 40 people standing in line. Meanwhile, he noticed that Ola's counter had cabs ready and staff members actively informing passengers that rides were available immediately.

Despite the shorter wait, Kotalwar said he cancelled his Uber GO booking and instead upgraded to Uber Comfort, paying more for the ride rather than switching to Ola. He also observed that none of the passengers waiting in the Uber queue moved to the rival service.

Reflecting on the experience, he argued that the phenomenon extended beyond ride-hailing platforms. He pointed to how customers often chose Blinkit over Zepto, even when the latter offers lower prices, or order from Zomato despite Swiggy running better deals.

In his post, Kotalwar suggested that customers are not necessarily driven by loyalty, but by what he described as the "psychological cost of switching". After a tiring journey, he said, trying another app can feel like an unnecessary gamble, whereas sticking with a familiar service offers predictability and peace of mind.

He added that consumers are often willing to pay a premium not for the product itself, but for the certainty of knowing what to expect. According to him, brands that understand this focus less on competing through discounts and more on building trust and consistency.

Take a look at the post here:

The post triggered a debate online, with users offering different explanations for why people may choose one platform over another.

Some questioned whether airport passengers really thought about switching costs when their main priority was getting home quickly after a flight. Others argued that the preference went beyond familiarity and was rooted in years of experience with the brands.

One commenter said Uber had historically built more customer-centric systems and processes, whereas Ola had struggled to provide the same level of consistency, particularly during its early years. The user also pointed out that Uber vehicles are generally perceived to be better, adding that since airport rides are usually long, many passengers prefer a service they trust.

Others felt that the examples involving Zepto, Swiggy and other platforms were too broad to draw sweeping conclusions. Some said their own choices differed depending on pricing and convenience, arguing that customer behaviour cannot always be explained by loyalty or habit alone.

- Ends

Published By:

Yashna Talwar

Published On:

Jun 18, 2026 14:15 IST