Uber driver refuses to turn on AC unless passenger pays $5 extra in 95-degree heat. Even when it all came at cost of his ‘suffering’

A woman’s Uber experience has gone viral on TikTok after her driver in Perth, Australia, tried to charge an extra $5 to turn on the air conditioning. This happened during a 95-degree day, and the clip has sparked widespread outrage online.

Lexie Pickering, known as @lexie_pickering on TikTok, shared the encounter after getting into a $50 Uber ride from the airport. She wrote in her video’s text overlay, “Just paid $50 for an Uber from the airport for the Uber driver to say ‘$5 for aircon.’ It is 95 degrees in Perth rn.” She also added in the caption, “He is suffering with me.”

According to Motor1.com, the video pulled in over 1.2 million views. Pickering later confirmed in the comments that drivers are not allowed to charge extra for air conditioning, and she also revealed that she received a refund.

Uber drivers cannot legally charge extra for air conditioning, and passengers have every right to report them

Uber’s vehicle standards require drivers to have functional climate control in their cars. Air conditioning is considered a basic part of any standard ride, not an extra service. Passengers should never be asked to pay additional fees for it once a trip has already begun.

If a driver refuses to turn on the air conditioning or asks for extra money, passengers can report the issue through the Uber app. Complaints about ride conditions or driver behavior can lead to refunds, trip adjustments, or follow-up from Uber’s support team. Uber rides don’t always go smoothly, and in some cases, a passenger feeling unsafe with their Uber driver can make things even more complicated.

Viewers reacted strongly to Pickering’s video. One person summed it up simply, “Zero aircon = zero stars.” Another took a dig at the cost of living in Australia, writing, “If you living in Australia, you have to pay tax for everything, even if you breathing.” A third fired back with a witty threat of their own, saying, “tell him it’s $2 per star rating…”

One commenter also pointed out that passengers already have the tools to deal with this, writing, “Isn’t that part of the service. You can report in the app about state of car, so report that.” Not all awkward Uber stories involve disputes over money, one woman went viral after her driver had a very unexpected mid-ride emergency that left passengers stunned.