Uber caves in to pressure amidst Sydney hostage crisis, offers free rides and refunds users

After a massive backlash this morning following its surge pricing amidst the hostage situation in Sydney, Uber has taken a step back and is now making rides from the central business district area free:

Uber Sydney trips from CBD will be free for riders. Higher rates are still in place to encourage drivers to get into the CBD.

— Uber Sydney (@Uber_Sydney) December 15, 2014

In addition, Uber is also refunding all users who were charged earlier in the day while leaving the area. The previous surge pricing meant that the minimum price for a car quadrupled to AU$100 (US$82).

However, the tweet’s wording, mentioning that higher rates still apply for the drivers, confused many netizens and had to be further explained in the blog post: “Please note that surge pricing only remains in place to encourage more drivers to come online and pick up passengers from the area,” stated an Uber representative.

Credit must be given to the Uber team for reacting swiftly to the groundswell, though some believe that the firm’s heart wasn’t in it:

@Uber_Sydney soooo the idea is to charge more during a crisis and hope nobody notices, if they do reverse course and play nice? Got it. #ASS

— richards マシュー·リチャーズ (@mwerichards) December 15, 2014