Q1. Why has FREE NOW introduced a cancellation fee?

We understand that passengers are sometimes forced to cancel bookings due to unforeseen circumstances. However, last-minute cancellations impact our systems and disrupt our drivers. Therefore, in an attempt to reduce all of this and provide a fairer experience for drivers we’re introducing a passenger cancellation fee.

Q2. How are passengers warned about the fee?

Passenger cancellations:

Passengers are first shown a message warning them about a potential fee when they choose to cancel their taxi after the driver has arrived or is already on his/her way. The passenger is able to choose to abort the cancellation or continue to cancel and accept the fee attached.

This warning is shown when the passenger cancels on a driver who has already arrived or is an amount of time away from the pickup destination. This amount of time varies by country and can be found in the cancellation policy linked in our GTC's.

Driver cancellations:

Passengers who don’t show up at their pickup location, thereby forcing their driver to cancel will not be warned about the fee. However, they will be informed via app notification after the cancellation has happened. There will be a minimum waiting time period for such driver cancellations as well, which varies by country and can be found in the cancellation policy linked in our GTC's.

Q3. Are there any exceptions where a late cancellation might not result in a fee?

Passengers will only be exempt from the cancellation fee if they are new to FREE NOW. 

Q4. How does the passenger know if they have been charged a cancellation fee?

The passenger will be notified via the app before they have been charged. The fee amount will be debited from any valid payment method that is present in their FREE NOW account.

Q5. How will the passenger be charged a cancellation fee if they only pay with cash?

If the passenger doesn’t have an in-app payment method attached to their FREE NOW account, the fee amount may be added as a pending debt to their account. They must pay the fee attached to their FREE NOW account or risk being blocked from the app for future journeys.

Q6. How can the passenger contest a Cancellation Fee charge on their account?

Please submit a contact form, and our customer care team will be in touch as soon as possible.

Q7. How will the passenger be refunded?

The passenger, if eligible for a refund, will be renumerated the exact cancellation fee amount in the form of FREE NOW credit to be used on their next journey.

N.B. FREE NOW credit will only be applied on journeys where in-app payment is selected.