Taxi Driver Online

Aberdeen International Airport axes taxi firm and takes contract in-house

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/ne ... -in-house/

Aberdeen International Airport has launched its own taxi service to transport plane passengers on the final leg of their journey.

Senior staff believe that running the service themselves, in conjunction with the airport’s car park management firm, will allow them to “manage it more closely”.

Until yesterday, the airport had contracted Dyce-based Comcab to ferry passengers into the city following their flights.

Travel services manager, Jemma Forrest, explained that the new approach had “partially” been influenced by feedback from customers.

She said: “We want the passenger experience to be as positive as possible and we know that having access to taxis on arrival at the airport is important for our customers.”

“We look forward to ensuring the current and future needs of our passengers are met.”

The Airport Parking Corporation of America (Apcoa) manages car parking at the site and will help to oversee the new arrangements.

Aberdeen councillors had previously quarrelled with airport bosses for imposing a controversial £2 drop-off charge on drivers.

Kingswells, Sheddocksley and Summerhill councillor, Steve Delaney, last night said he would adopt a “wait and see” attitude towards the taxi changes.

The Liberal Democrat said: “The airport has clearly taken a commercial decision here, but my only interest is that the new service provided is of sufficient quality.

“There is nothing worse than arriving from a flight and finding that you can’t get a taxi.

“We will keep an eye on how the travelling public respond to it.”

Mr Delaney suggested the move could also play a small part in making sure the city is a more visitor-friendly place, amid efforts to boost tourist income.

A spokeswoman for Comcab said the firm was legally unable to comment on the contract changing hands.

The change only applies to the “walk-up” service, and customers who pre-book taxi transport with other firms can continue to do so.

The drivers used by the airport will be self-employed, but with a “commitment” towards serving people leaving the building.

A spokesman added: “That is the business they want, rather than city business.”

Other operators can be drafted in, if needed at especially busy times.

Suspect this isn't as bad as it sounds for the taxi trade - looks like airport will just be using independent drivers directly rather than using Comcab as an intermediary. The remarks obviously suggest there's a conflict between Comcab cars servicing the airport and Comcab's business elsewhere in the city of Aberdeen.

The drivers used by the airport under the new arrangement will presumably be dedicated to working there.

So Comcab's loss, but for the trade more generally perhaps just a case of rearranging the deckchairs.

The Airport Parking Corporation of America (Apcoa) manages car parking at the site and will help to oversee the new arrangements.


I think there will be a lot of negative press coverage in the future if this shower are involved

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

So I'm guessing that when Comcab had the rank exclusively three years ago they were sometimes perceived to be servicing the city at the expense of the airport, so the airport wanted a dedicated fleet...

edited for accuracy

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Exactly who else would a taxi, or taxi firm, serve at an airport other than the people leaving the building?

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IDFIMH

Comcab HCs coming through town and picking up flaggers or ranking up in town rather than going back to the airport, Comcab prioritising non-airport pre-booked work and leaving the airport underserviced would be the two most obvious factors

It's not who they're servicing at the airport rather than who they're servicing in the rest of the city that was maybe the issue.

Or even Comcab arriving at the airport for pre-bookings while punters are queuing at the rank.

Oh to have those kinds of problems down here

By 'city business', the airport spokesman will have meant Comcab's non-airport rank business, essentially.

They wanted a fleet dedicated to airport work only

It will be at a cost to the TAXI trade, no American company does anything for nothing. Drivers will be fleeced.