Baku, August 30, 2025
Ride-hailing apps like Bolt and Uber may have transformed the taxi industry, but one heated argument has gone viral for exposing a basic question: should air conditioning be optional?
In the video spreading across social media, a passenger who booked an “economy” ride demanded the driver switch on the AC. The driver flatly refused, claiming cooling was reserved for “comfort” class. The standoff sparked a wider debate about what passengers are entitled to expect.
Transport expert Rauf Agamirzayev told Valyuta.az the passenger was right to complain.
“All cars licensed as taxis—no matter the class—are legally required to have a working air-conditioning system. If a citizen files a complaint with the Land Transport Agency, the driver or operator can face penalties,” he explained.
He pointed to clause 5.5 of Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 183 (2024), which obliges taxi vehicles to be fitted with ABS brakes, interior lighting, a ventilation system with both cooling and heating, and seat belts for all passengers.
“There is no such thing in the law as ‘economy’ or ‘comfort.’ These are just marketing gimmicks. The requirement for air conditioning applies to every taxi on the road,” Agamirzayev added.
