Taxi drivers strike
27.02.08
Aberdeen Airport taxi drivers held a lightening strike last night in a protest over new charges to be introduced to access the airport grounds. Long queues built up outside the airport as passengers waited for the much depleted taxi fleet, as the unplanned action took affect.
The action came days after Rainbow Taxis announced its fleet of 140 cabs would stop serving Aberdeen Airport on March 31, after BAA announced drivers face a £1 charge every time they enter the airport from August 1. City-based drivers who pick up passengers at busy times will face a £2 charge.
Drivers walked out at 20:00 last night and said they would not resume service until 06:00 today. And passengers have been warned that they threatened to do the same thing every night until airport officials listen to their concerns over new charges.
Airport taxi drivers' committee member Alan Norval said about 90% of Rainbow Airport Taxi drivers did not work last night, leaving only 4 or 5 cars serving the airport. Extra drivers from ComCabs and Rainbow City cabs helped to make up the shortfall.
Mr Norval said last night: ‘We had a fleet meeting at 17:00. It was the overall feeling of all drivers, because BAA are so determined to introduce the barrier fee, that they have left us with no other alternative but to withdraw our services on a lightning strike basis.’ He said the proposed £1 charge would add up to £100 a week on top of the £114 weekly charge the drivers already pay to pick up at the airport.
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