I assume that because the airport is private property then the normal plying for hire rules don't apply and the airport owners can control which vehicles can use the airport ranks.

and the airport owners can control which vehicles can use the airport ranks.

Well I don't think the private land aspect is relevant in this case, since a HC can do pre-booked work anywhere. It's only when plying for hire in a public place that the licencing authority area becomes relevant, but if it's private land then this becomes irrelevant as well.

So basically an HC can do pre-booked work anywhere, can do what it wants on private land anywhere, but can only ply for hire in a public place in its relevant LA area (unless it's Carlise of course, where there's another complication )

Anyway, I think that's right, but the question has been discussed at some length on here recently and with some vehemence, so I suspect it's a case of "light the blue touchpaper and retire".

But they also do prebooked fares on their radio circuit they started up about 7 years ago. Does this mean that an operator could use outside hacks for his office as long as his base is on private land.

They are all licensed hackneys from different boroughs so does this mean that they have been operating wrongly for years