Taxi Driver Online

Black cab drivers threaten to cause chaos at Manchester Airport with strike action


Nearly 200 Hackney drivers drove around the airport in convoy for an hour on Monday, refusing to take passengers and causing disruption over claims a rival firm gets an unfair advantage


Black cab drivers have threatened a second wildcat strike at Manchester Airport if their dispute over a rival private hire firm isn’t resolved.

Nearly 200 Hackney drivers drove around the airport in convoy for an hour on Monday, refusing to take passengers and causing disruption.

Manchester Airport bosses have now pledged to meet with the Airport Taxi Association after its chairman Adam Ali alleged the airport has ‘anti-competitive practices’ in relation to Arrow private hire.

In 2011, Manchester Airports Group handed a five-year contract to Leeds-based Arrow, later extended to October 2018.

At the time, Manchester black cab drivers threatened legal action over claims that preferential treatment to Arrow was restricting rival firms.

The dispute has now reared its head again.

Mr Ali said: “It feels like the airport is bending over backwards for Arrow Taxis and putting us on a backburner.

“If the airport will not help with this we will strike again - and we guarantee it will be a lot worse next time.”

He said the airport’s website directs passengers to Arrow - as do the booking kiosks at the terminals.

Also among their gripes is the fact passengers get a ‘pop-up’ phone advert for Arrow when they leave the terminals.

Adam Ali, chairman of the Airport Taxi Association, told the M.E.N: “We are losing profits and if it continues we are prepared to take this to the Trading Standards Commission.

“Their cabin is about 50 yards from our taxi rank and it is unfair competition.

“Our strike had a big effect, the airport came to a standstill for an hour - we blocked off terminals and even the slip road into the airport.

“We have been trying for two years to talk to Manchester Airport about this but nothing has been done. This was our final step.

“They should not be calling themselves taxis - that is misleading the customer.

A Manchester Airport spokesman said: “An unofficial demonstration on behalf of the Hackney Cab Drivers took place, which led to minor disruption on site.

“We plan to meet with all the parties involved to discuss the reason for this action.”

The M.E.N contacted Arrow Taxis in both Manchester and Leeds but they declined to comment.

source: http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... t-10975949

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

I suspect that's because the airport get a cut out of every job they do.

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IDFIMH

Didn't they try this about 5 years ago and got nowhere ?

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

Do a job right the first time, block the whole shooting match off.

Nearly 200 Hackney drivers drove around the airport in convoy for an hour on Monday, refusing to take passengers and causing disruption over claims a rival firm gets an unfair advantage

Are they all asian....

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

The dispute centres around the signage used by arrow cars which is a private hire co given the contract by the airport.
Their cabin is situated right outside the exit on terminal 1
it reads...TAXI private hire Arrow Cars....book here ...prices fixed to all destinations.
This is misleading as they are a ph co not a taxi co which refers to hackneys.
A lot of passengers pay at the desk and then go to the hackneys with their ''receipts'' asking the driver to take them to their destination. The hackney driver then explains that they have booked a ph vehicle.If the passenger returns to the office and asks for a refund this is not given.
Yes, arrow cars give a cut to the airport but then the hackneys are also charged a fee of £1.60 for every fare picked up at the airport. Originally the driver was only allowed to charge 70p to the passenger and had to pay 90p from his pocket. This has been changed recently and drivers are now allowed to recover the full £1.60 from passengers.Why this has changed I don't know.
Yes, the majority of drivers are of Asian origin but the rest are like united nations...they come from everywhere in the world including England !

what happened to the GMB..

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

The GMB are around as are other unions like T&G and ATA but without the required money to take the matter to court and with a licensing authority not willing to enforce the laws nothing can be done.
Manchester City centre is a free for all...any PH from anywhere can pirate with impunity and nothing ever gets done.
There are 10 or 12 prosecutions a year for illegal pick-ups...yet Birmingham which is similar in size has I believe 3,000 prosecutions a year.
The problem at the Airport is the use of the word ''TAXI'' by arrow cars.
This is in big signage and misleads foreigners coming to Manchester for the first time who are not aware of differences between PH and hackneys.
arrow then get the first bite and pick and choose which ''jobs'' they prefer to take.
This is built in their price structure whereby ''local'' work is priced dearly and therefore not taken up.
Another tactic is to inform people not going far that there is a ''45 minute wait'' but they could use hackneys which are available immediately....and it goes on...

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IDFIMH