Ride-hailing apps Careem and Ousta have filed complaints against competitor Uber company with the Egyptian Competition Authority over market flooding and maintaining lower prices than competitors, according to Al-Mal newspaper.
Uber had announced earlier it would not raise fares and would forgo the 20 percent service fee it charges drivers until the end of January 2017, attracting more customers and drivers.
The Egyptian Competition Authority (ECA) is now studying the complaint filed by Careem and Ousta against Uber, said Chairman of ECA, Mona al-Garf.
Garf stressed that the Authority is keen to achieve a fair competition between the three companies as these companies now greatly affect the lives of citizens, she added in a statement to Al-Mal.
Ousta president Nader al-Batrawy told Al-Mal in earlier statements that his Company has lost a large number of customers since the start of December, as well as drivers who favored Uber to his Company.
Uber's practices aim to eliminate competitive companies from the market and have nothing to do with honorable competition as it would not lead to more gains for the company, Batrawy added.
Garf said the Authority would study the standard of service and pricing of the three companies, stressing that the Authority would resolve the dispute before the year is out.
Uber Transportation Network company in Egypt said it will not raise fares until January 31, in a move that aims to celebrate the company's second anniversary in Egypt, according to a press statement Uber issued on Wednesday December 7.
The company also announced it would not take profits from drivers throughout December and January until it decides on the fare increase, in light of recent fuel price hikes.
Uber, now active in more than 300 cities globally, launched in Egypt in late 2014, managing to lure hundreds of thousands of customers away from the general taxi service.
