BAA and the Touting for Passenger's AIR-SIDE!....By Red Cab Dave.

Heathrow: 19/08/10 4pm.

I recently arrived back at Heathrow after a family holiday in Spain. We got to the baggage reclaim hall and approached the carousel. I looked around me and was astounded by the amount of posters advertising the Heathrow Express, they were everywhere. But what added insult to injury was a little Asian man, wearing an official looking blue suit, carrying a clip board shouting;
"This way for the Heathrow Express. Traffic is at a stand still on the motorway. Cheaper than the Taxis"
I approach the man and stood by him
He then started shouting;
"Taxis very expensive, Heathrow Express cheaper than Taxis"
He then turned to me and asked if I wanted to use his services but when I told him I was a Taxi driver he just laughed in disbelief and turned to the group of three people standing beside me.
He spoke to one of the group telling them that the traffic was terrible and Taxis were very expensive. I stepped in and asked the man where he was going;
"Russell Square" he said
I told him that three people traveling on the Express would cost him £54. But that would only get him as far as Paddington, where he would have to queue with hundreds of others, to get a Taxi the rest of the way back to his hotel, costing another £12-14 approx. For £60 this group of three could get a taxi all the way, without having to struggle with luggage on and off the train and without waiting ages in line for a cab at Paddington. I informed him that the schools were on holiday, so traffic would be light back to London.
He thanked me and the group headed off in the direction of the Taxi rank of Terminal Three.

I then started to give the clipboard man a piece of my mind as I felt his behaviour was unexceptionable. My wife as usual,walked away at this point, but my son stood beside me with a look of admiration in his eyes and a broad smile on his face.
The signs on every carousel, I believe are a travesty, as they say "Beat the Taxi Meter". This gives the impression that every journey in a Licensed Taxi to Paddington, is cheaper on the Heathrow Express, when in fact all journeys of three to six passengers are cheaper and in the case of six passengers, half price.

So, not only do BAA allow touting of passengers "Air-side" with false claims, once the passengers clear customs they are faced with running the gauntlet of illegal touts who use a range of different scams to divert work away from the Taxi rank outside.

I strongly believe that the TPH cab enforcement, should have officers visiting Heathrow on a regular basis to make sure this problem is dealt with.


Editorial comment;
The Anderson Shelter would like to welcome our new travel correspondent David J Denney (AKA Red Cab Dave).