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Driving at Ottawa International Airport (YOW)

Airports can be complicated places, especially for drivers. But knowing the basics, and getting information in advance about your local airport, can help make sure you’re prepared for your first pickup or dropoff.

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Rules and regulations

Airport regulations for driver-partners

Per airport regulations, drivers must adhere to the terms below. Failure to do so may result in the receipt of a citation or even restriction of access to airport trips. Please note that Uber will not pay for any citations that driver-partners may incur.

-When on airport property, the Uber driver app must be open at all times (driver-partners must not go Offline until exiting the airport area) -We’ve instituted a special first vehicle in is the first one out (FIFO) system at Ottawa International Airport. The FIFO system only works within the designated, geofenced area and driver-partners waiting elsewhere will not receive trip requests through the Uber driver app.

Pro tips

  • Driver cancellations: Trip cancellations can take away from the great Uber experience that both riders and driver-partners expect. Please remember that driver-partners who improperly use the app and intentionally disrupt the service, including excessively cancelling rides or asking riders to cancel rides, may lose the ability to receive trip requests to and from the airport through the Uber Driver app.
  • Ground transportation and airport security staff: Airport rules are as important as traffic rules. Airports expect driver-partners to follow the instructions of the airport staff.
  • Based on the operating agreement with YOW, using the taxi compound facilities next to the waiting area is prohibited.
  • When an airport property, Airport Authority representatives may ask driver-partners to show their Uber partner app and their in-app profile.

Rules and regulations

How pickup requests work

Pickups at the airport

It’s easy to receive trip requests from riders leaving the airport. However, these trips work a little differently than other requests.

Waiting for requests

Uber’s technology uses a first-in-first-out (FIFO) queue. This means that, in order to receive a trip request, you need to enter the designated waiting area, located within a “FIFO zone”. You will then be placed in a virtual queue where the first driver-partner to enter will be the first to receive a trip request.

Based on the operating agreement with the airport, the waiting area is located in the ridesharing area off of Airport Parkway Private (see map below).

Somethings to know about FIFO queues:

  • Proximity to the terminal within the FIFO zone does not create an advantage for driver-partners or move you closer to the top of the queue.
  • If there are no driver-partners in the FIFO zone, trip requests will go to Uber driver-partners in the area, outside of the FIFO zone, based on proximity and other factors.
  • You can lose your place in line if:
    • You go offline on your Uber driver app
    • You drive outside the FIFO zone
    • You do not accept multiple incoming trip requests in a row
    • You cancel multiple rides (if the rider cancels, you will remain at the top of the queue)

Picking up your rider

Once you accept a trip request, the pickup location at YOW is located in the outermost lane at Pillar 12 (see map below).

How drop-off requests work

Drop-offs at the airport

Airport riders can be dropped off at their requested terminal on the Departures level. If you’d like to receive a trip request afterwards, you’ll need to keep the Uber driver app on to maintain your place in the FIFO queue.

Rematch

We’ve launched the Rematch feature at this airport. To qualify for Rematch, you must first complete a dropoff at the airport. Rematch then allows any driver-partner who just completed an airport dropoff to receive a pickup request without having to wait in the Waiting Area.

If you don’t receive a request within a few moments, this means there are no Rematch trips available and you should go to the waiting area if you would like to wait for a request.

Please note that waiting around the terminal will not increase your chances of receiving a Rematch. Rematches can only occur a few moments after you complete an airport dropoff.

Airport regulations prohibit loitering in the terminal area. Idling at the curb may result in a citation from airport authorities.

YOW pickup map

SEE LARGER MAP >