AIRPORT AILMENTS
ABERDEEN AIRPORT HOLDS TALKS WITH CABBIES FOLLOWING STRIKES OVER PROPOSED CHANGES
Aberdeen International Airport is holding talks with taxi drivers following strikes over proposed changes at the Dyce hub. One of the proposals includes scrapping the £200 per week barrier fee that taxi drivers are charged to pick-up passengers and replacing it with a departure charge of £7. Changes to work patterns are also being floated which would scrap the need for drivers to work shifts – something the airport says will “provide more flexibility”. Some drivers “withdrew from
service” in protest at the proposed changes. However striking drivers went back on the job, with talks ongoing with airport bosses. The changes could be con- troversial for passengers as, if enacted, the £7 departure charge would be passed on to customers if the driver decides to do so. In January the taxi drop-off fee increased by 150%, with passen- gers being forced to pay an extra £3, increasing from £2 to £5, which the airport said was to bring the facility’s fleet “in line” with external taxi companies.
The airport has been running its own taxi service since June 2018 but has faced criticism from pas- sengers about the shortage of cabs and the length of time people have had to queue to get one. Last year, the airport said they were exploring “a number of initiatives” to recruit more drivers. Regarding the proposed changes, an airport spokesman said: “The recruitment of taxi drivers remains a challenge not just for the airport but city-wide. We will continue to work with drivers within our fleet to provide more flexibility.”
GATWICK PH DRIVERS DEMAND CRAWLEY COUNCIL ENFORCE LICENSING LAWS AGAINST UBER
Gatwick Airport private hire drivers will protest outside a full Crawley council meeting to
demand
councillors do more to enforce licensing laws against Uber. The protest – which will be held on 24 May at 6.30pm – comes after the airport began advertising Uber services to passengers and introduced Uber-reserved bays. A Unite spokesperson said: “Currently, Uber has an unfair advantage over Crawley’s PHVs because it can circumvent the local authority’s licensing laws, resulting in Uber cars registered in London entering the town and waiting for passengers. “PHVs, on the other hand, cannot pick up fares outside their licensing areas unless they have been pre-booked. The situation has led to an in-flux of London- based Uber cars into Crawley
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which are parking up and waiting to poach private hire business. “This is damaging livelihoods and undermining the local economy, which is dependent on Gatwick.” Unite regional officer Dominic Rothwell said: “Our members are fighting back against the airport and Uber but Crawley council’s lack of action in enforcing its own taxi licensing rules is leaving them at an unfair disadvantage. “Crawley council has the power to stop this by sanctioning Gatwick and Uber for deliberately breaking their taxi licensing laws. “The council must clampdown on London-based Uber cars picking up fares booked while they park up in Crawley and clampdown hard.” Gatwick said Uber has taken over as the advertising sponsor for London Gatwick’s airbridges in a multi-year deal as part of a
competitive market tender which was also offered to Airport Cars. Part of the deal includes the rights to Uber branding in a number of places at the airport including a shared ride hail pick-up zone. Gatwick said this area is not for the exclusive use of Uber. Uber was already serving their customers from the airport prior to the new advertising deal for a number of years, Gatwick added. A Gatwick spokesperson said: “Airport Cars, our official taxi part- ner, continues to operate from outside the terminals. Passengers who chose to use Uber or other PHVs can do so from designated pick-up zones.” A council spokesperson said: “We are aware of the complaint and have been actively investigating. We anticipate producing findings in the near future.”
JUNE 2024 PHTM
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