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The private car hire app Uber has apologised to customers in Australia for dramatically increasing its prices during the Sydney gunman siege earlier this month.
All user accounts in the Sydney area received an email admitting the company was wrong to take advantage of increased demand during the tragedy by increasing prices.
“The events of last week in Sydney were upsetting for the whole community and we are truly sorry for any concern that our process may have added,” the email read.
The company however tried to rationalise its policy of increasing prices at times of greatest need by arguing that it was harnessing the principles of supply and demand.
“Surge pricing is algorithmic and kicks in automatically when demand for rides outstrips the supply of cars that are on the road. This encourages more drivers to the area where people are requesting rides,” the email argued. “We didn't stop surge pricing immediately. This was the wrong decision.”
An injured hostage is wheeled to an ambulance after shots were fired during the cafe siege in Sydney
Although it apologised for causing distress and said it was wrong to increase its prices, Uber blamed an “unfortunate … perception” amongst the public for the backlash.
“It's unfortunate that the perception is that Uber did something against the interests of the public. We certainly did not intend to. We will learn from this incident and improve as a result of this lesson,” the company said.
Sydney siege: Australia mourns with sea of flowers at site of Martin Place terror attackShow all 20 1 /20Sydney siege: Australia mourns with sea of flowers at site of Martin Place terror attack Sydney siege: Australia mourns with sea of flowers at site of Martin Place terror attack Sydney siege Grieving Lindt cafe workers lay flowers at the scene of the Martin Place siege, which claimed their manager Tori Johnson, in the CBD in Sydney
Sydney siege: Australia mourns with sea of flowers at site of Martin Place terror attack Sydney siege Grieving Lindt cafe workers lay flowers at the scene of the Martin Place siege, which claimed their manager Tori Johnson, in the CBD in Sydney
Sydney siege: Australia mourns with sea of flowers at site of Martin Place terror attack Sydney siege Flowers lay at a memorial near the Lindt chocolate cafe in Martin Place following a dramatic siege in Sydney
Sydney siege: Australia mourns with sea of flowers at site of Martin Place terror attack Sydney siege Sydneysiders visit the floral memorial for victims Tori Johnson and Katrina Dawson at the scene of the Martin Place siege in the CBD in Sydney
Rex
Sydney siege: Australia mourns with sea of flowers at site of Martin Place terror attack Sydney siege Flowers are placed by people as a mark of respect for the victims of Martin Place siege in Sydney
Sydney siege: Australia mourns with sea of flowers at site of Martin Place terror attack Sydney siege A woman places flowers as a mark of respect for the victims of Martin Place siege in Sydney
Sydney siege: Australia mourns with sea of flowers at site of Martin Place terror attack Sydney siege Police officers visit the floral memorial for victims Tori Johnson and Katrina Dawson at the scene of the Martin Place siege in the CBD in Sydney
Sydney siege: Australia mourns with sea of flowers at site of Martin Place terror attack Sydney siege Premier Mike Baird visits the floral memorial for victims Tori Johnson and Katrina Dawson at the scene of the Martin Place siege in the CBD in Sydney
Sydney siege: Australia mourns with sea of flowers at site of Martin Place terror attack Sydney siege Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott and his wife Margie pay their respect to the victims of the siege in Martin Place in Sydney central business district
Sydney siege: Australia mourns with sea of flowers at site of Martin Place terror attack Sydney siege Grief stricken Sydneysiders look on as thousands of people lay flowers near the Lindt chocolate cafe in Martin Place following last nights dramatic siege in Sydney
Sydney siege: Australia mourns with sea of flowers at site of Martin Place terror attack Sydney siege A man holds a menorah at the Martin Place vigil as he pays his respects in Sydney
Sydney siege: Australia mourns with sea of flowers at site of Martin Place terror attack Sydney siege Muslim Community members lay flowers near the Lindt chocolate cafe in Martin Place following a dramatic siege in Sydney
Sydney siege: Australia mourns with sea of flowers at site of Martin Place terror attack Sydney siege A note can be seen amongst floral tributes that have been placed near the cafe where hostages were held for over 16-hours, in central Sydney
Sydney siege: Australia mourns with sea of flowers at site of Martin Place terror attack Sydney siege Grief stricken Sydneysiders embrace at a flower memorial near the Lindt chocolate cafe in Martin Place following last nights dramatic siege in Sydney
Sydney siege: Australia mourns with sea of flowers at site of Martin Place terror attack Sydney siege Sydneysiders pray near the Lindt chocolate cafe in Martin Place following a dramatic siege in Sydney
Sydney siege: Australia mourns with sea of flowers at site of Martin Place terror attack Sydney siege A group of Sydneysiders join hands as they mourn near the Lindt chocolate cafe in Martin Place following a dramatic siege in Sydney
Sydney siege: Australia mourns with sea of flowers at site of Martin Place terror attack Sydney siege Members of the public write messages in condolence books in Martin Place in Sydney
Sydney siege: Australia mourns with sea of flowers at site of Martin Place terror attack Sydney siege Flowers are left as a sign of respect at Martin Place in Sydney
Sydney siege: Australia mourns with sea of flowers at site of Martin Place terror attack Sydney siege Women embrace in Martin Place in Sydney
Sydney siege: Australia mourns with sea of flowers at site of Martin Place terror attack Sydney siege People lay flowers at a floral memorial at the scene of Sydney's siege
GETTY
“Uber is committed to ensuring users have a reliable ride when they need it most - including and especially during disasters and relevant states of emergency.”
The company’s business practices have been the source of significant controversy in recent months.
Critics, including police, have accused Uber of “negligence” in performing background checks on its drivers, who do not undergo the same training process as traditional black taxi drivers. An Uber driver has been accused of raping a woman in India.
Indian residents hold placards and chant slogans as they take part in a protest against the alleged rape of a passenger by a driver working for the Uber taxi company in New Delhi on December 7, 2014
(STRDEL/AFP/Getty Images)
Uber is backed by millions of dollars in investment capital and is hiring paid lobbyists in the UK . It regularly faces regulation hurdles and has been banned in a number of cities and countries around the world.
Last month an Uber executive suggested leaking details about the “personal lives and families” of journalists who were critical of the company.
During the Sydney siege earlier this month a lone gunman named Man Haron Monis took hostages for 16 hours at a cafe in central Sydney.
Two hostages and Mr Monis were killed when armed security services stormed the cafe.
Memorial services were held for victims of the siege earlier this week.
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