Taxi Driver Online

Yorkshire Evening Post

February 7, 2008

Two views of taxi 'fiasco' at airport

THREE of us arrived at Leeds Bradford Airport, happy after a smooth flight which arrived 30 minutes early.

Luggage arrived quickly and the staff were their usual pleasant selves. We walked out into the freezing cold night and turned right expecting to see the usual orderly queue of taxis. Not one there.

Looking over the crossing we saw taxis randomly parked and moved towards them.We were accosted by a man in a yellow jacket who demanded to know our number.

One taxi firm now has a monopoly and their system is that you queue inside, pay, collect a number and are then allocated a taxi.

"You should have been told," he said. "By whom?" we asked.

I was standing outside guarding the luggage, shivering, and one unhappy customer said as he came out: "I think there's going to be a riot in there."

Does Leeds city still have a share in the airport? What a welcome to Leeds this would be to a foreign visitor! Who is responsible for this fiasco?

When we did eventually get a taxi, the driver could not have been more helpful, considering he must be fed up with driving disgruntled customers.

Diana Brazier, Kepstorn Road, Leeds

IN her letter (YEP, 4 February) Mrs Stewart refers to the taxi service at Leeds Bradford Airport as a shambles.

We used this service on return from our holiday in January. We were delighted. It was so easy to go to the office and give your destination and pay the fare there and then. It was cheaper than the past two years with hackney carriages.

We then went outside crossed the crossing gave our number to the attendant and our taxi was waiting for us.We had no hassle.We had no worries about if they were going take the long route and charge us over the odds as the hackney taxis did many times in the past.

Sheila Bevons, Meanwood, Leeds
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