Uber users delete app over travel-ban controversy

man on uber on phone getty
The ride-sharing service has been forced to apologize (Getty)

Uber has been forced to apologise after being accused of trying to profit from a New York taxi driver strike.

On January 28, the New York City Taxi Workers Alliance announced an hour-long strike, refusing to service JFK Airport in protest against US President Donald Trump's "inhumane and unconstitutional #MuslimBan." 

While many expected ride-sharing app Uber to follow suit, Uber instead turned off surge pricing - making its services cheaper - and continued offering rides to and from the airport.

The result was hundreds of Uber users around the world deleting the app from their phones, posting screenshots on Twitter with the hashtag #DeleteUber. 

The #deleteuber hashtag wasn't just trending in the United States - many here in New Zealand got on board as well. 

 

Uber CEO Travis Kalanick today on Facebook responded to the scorching #deleteUber campaign, vowing to "stand up for the driver community". 

He set up a $3 million legal defence fund for affected drivers, and promised to compensate for any earnings drivers may lose while banned from the country.

Meanwhile, Uber's main competition in the ride-sharing app world, Lyft, has promised to donate $1 million to the American Civil Liberties Union over the next four years in a bid to "defend our Constitution".

Newshub.