10/07/2013 00:00
TW
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by RAY FLEMING
LONG lines and even car parks full of waiting taxis are a familiar scene at many airports. To the obvious question, How can they afford to stand idle for such long periods?, the answer must be that it is more profitable for a taxi driver to get a single long-distance fare from the airport than have to cruise the city streets looking for business. The truth of this is borne out by the tenacity with which taxis licensed to operate at airports protect their turf from intruders dropping off passengers for flights. Whether at Palma, Heathrow or Kennedy the story is the same.

It is surprising therefore to see that BAA have entered into a trial arrangement with two minicab firms to pick up passengers at Heathrow.
Bookings will have to be made in advance but the deal obviously cuts across the existing exclusive rights of the drivers of London's black cabs. The response from the Licensed Taxi Drivers' Association was predictable: “It will be a foot in the door of enabling minicabs to take business from black cabs and it will spread to other end airports and railway stations.” The cost of a black cab from Heathrow to Central London, including baggage and extras is now at least 50 pounds and often considerably more if traffic is slow. Minicabs may cut 25 per cent off that. If they choose to retaliate the black-cab drivers will have no difficulty in bringing Heathrow to a standstill with a few cabs situated strategically across the airport's access roads.