Taxi Driver Online

Manchester Airport black cab drivers have stopped picking up passengers due to taxi rank dispute

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk ... s-14887189

The row between Unite and airport bosses has escalated through the day, with drivers initially boycotting just the new rank - which is around the corner from the terminal and not visible to passengers


Taxis at the rank at Terminal 3 at Manchester Airport (Image: Manchester Evening News)

Black cab drivers have stopped picking up from all Manchester Airport terminals as part of a dispute over a new T3 taxi rank.

The row between Unite the union and airport bosses has escalated through the day, with drivers initially boycotting just the new rank - which is around the corner from the terminal and not visible to passengers.

Drivers claim this positioning discriminates against disabled passengers - and Hackney cabs.

It takes the place of the current rank, which is closer to the terminal exit and more visible to passengers. It’s been moved to make way for more drop-off bays for a new ‘kiss and fly’ passenger charging system launching on Tuesday.

The new taxi stand is the third in less than a year. The original one had space for 12 cabs, while the new one will take four at a time.

In protest, black cab drivers were using the passenger drop-off bays outside Terminal Three to pick up passengers on Monday afternoon.

But at 6.30pm on Monday, they moved to a full withdrawal of their services.


Taxi driver protest at Terminal 3 at Manchester Airport (Image: Manchester Evening News)

Yucel Polat, a driver and Unite rep, said: “We were getting threats and drivers were getting moved on so we moved to a full withdrawal from all terminals. We are getting a strong feeling they don’t want black cabs here.

"At international airports around the world the first thing passengers see when they step outside is a taxi rank. But not here.

Drivers also take issue with the facilities at the feeder park on Ringway Road - where they wait before being directed to the terminals by airport marshalls. They say hundreds of drivers have to share three run-down toilets and that facilities have been left to deteriorate.

Khurshid Anjim, a driver of 20 years, said: “The facilities are diabolical and I’ve seen them get worse over the years.”

A Manchester Airport spokesman said: “Passengers have a wide range of options for travelling to and from Manchester Airport, including train, tram, bus, coach, car, private hire operators and Hackney Carriages.

“It is down to each individual Hackney Carriage driver who is registered with us whether they choose to work on any given day and we note the intention of a group of drivers not to serve our terminals until further notice.

“In developing our new forecourt arrangements, we have had to consider the interests of more than 25 different user groups while coming up with a system that reduces congestion and provides the best possible experience to our customers.


The rank at Terminal 3 (Image: Manchester Evening News)

“We believe we have chosen the best possible location for the Hackney Carriage rank at Terminal 3, from where cars are sent from our dedicated feeder park.

“It is a similar distance away from the terminal than the previous rank, with new signage put in place to guide all arriving passengers to the right location, should they wish to use a Hackney Carriage for their onward journey.

“This signage has been tested with passengers prior to the new rank opening and has proven to be effective.

“We have been in dialogue with the Hackney Carriage community over a number of concerns they have raised about the Terminal 3 rank and believe we have made several concessions in an attempt to resolve the issue.

“Among other things, these include the guarantee of a review of the new system after six weeks and the provision by Manchester Airport of a dedicated taxi marshal inside Terminal 3 to direct arriving passengers to the new rank.

“That is why it is disappointing this action has been taken before the effects on the Hackney trade, if any, are truly known.

“However, we remain committed to working with the Hackney Carriage community to find a solution that is fair to all users of Manchester Airport.”

why does this not surprise me the airport operator at madchester/east midlands has a history of pushing taxis further and further from the terminal to support their "partner" who pays them a large wedge of cash.

I can see the day when they will insist all non "Airport" taxis will have to load unload passengers a couple of miles from the terminal to complete on a shuttle bus, in order to "encourage" their customers to use their expensive in house firm

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

While at the moment they don't "insist" on this, if they increase the drop off charge by enough it will make it harder to "sell" the idea of the customer paying extra for the drop off/pick up.

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Grandad,

Taxi drivers don't HAVE to charge you £3 to drop you off at Manchester Airport. This is the truth...

Lots of info so I will just post the link.

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk ... g-14893209

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IDFIMH

not strictly taxi related but manchester airport rated worst for disabled access

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-44807283

sounds like the management have their priorities all wrong and have the accessibility of the airport as a secondary consideration.

It will cost them customers when people get off a plane the main thing on their mind is getting home as they are generally tired

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

Just love clicking on a link to be hit with a cookie request and an advert.

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Grandad,

I won't click links for that reason

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

Manchester airport worry about only one thing and that is ''Money''
Customer services is way down the listand in reality doesn't matter much.
They sacked experienced baggage handlers and many others and hired cheaper labour to enable them to make more profits.
Marshalls who are mostly uneducated will just push drivers around as they are all on big bonuses for herding vehicles to new drop off zones.....no amount of pleading with them will work...no consideration given to any situation...
Black cabs have been pushed far away from the exit on T2 already and now on T3 they are proposing to put them out of sight....no airport in the world has such a stupid system in place...
first thing passengers coming out want to see is the Taxi Rank...and the busiest terminal at the airport have the Taxis hidden behind a building....
Quite rightly the Hackneys have refused this....and talks have been on going since January...so airport management cannot say they were unaware....

Brilliant News

I can inform you all that the Taxi (Hackney) Drivers at Manchester Airport have won their fight to have ranks which are visible to passengers arriving at the Airport....4 Rank spaces have been given plus more spaces from feeder places at the back of it...Drivers will also get back other facilities which were previously removed...so all in all a Win Win situation for Drivers.......

If only google could invent an ad blocker.

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IDFIMH

Manchester Airport taxi rank relocation row resolved

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-m ... r-44827255


Image: Ali Qureshi

Taxi drivers who staged a blockade at Manchester Airport in protest at the relocation of a cab rank have struck a deal with the airport.

Hundreds of Hackney carriage drivers took part in a go-slow and other demonstrations earlier this week.

An airport spokeswoman said "a compromise" had been reached over the arrangements for them to collect passengers at Terminal 3.

A spokesman for the drivers said they were "happy" with the deal.

Drivers claimed moving the taxi stand at Terminal 3, among a number of changes introduced on Tuesday, had hurt trade and caused problems for disabled passengers.

They staged the protest on Monday, claiming the new rank was a 10-minute walk from the front of the terminal.

They also staged go-slows round the airport.

Ali Qureshi from the Airport Taxi Association said: "We've won - the airport has backed down."

An airport spokeswoman said: "While it was our preference for drivers to use the proposed new rank for a trial period, it was clear following a series of disruptive protests that this would not be accepted by the Hackney trade."

Cabs can use four of the forecourt bays to collect passengers on the condition this can be reduced to two bays at busy times, she added.

Not a sensible comment in my view.

Would have been better to merely say that they are please to have reached an agreement with the airport.

Now management at the airport will be waiting to get their own back when the time arises.

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IDFIMH

*Exactly* what I thought when reading the piece.

Although wouldn't be surprised if they would have tried to get their own back irrespective of the Association's PR skills.

You make a good point.

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IDFIMH