Manchester airport-Taxi ripoff

zagfles

Steviek wrote: »

We use Metro all the time to & from the airport. They charge a fixed fee and pick you up from departures where there are no charges "simples"

Yes, just the usual airport rule that you can't pick up from arrivals without parking - they don't want loads of cars hanging around waiting for people to arrive. Pick up from departures - problem solved! But don't turn up till you know the passenger is there

CKhalvashi

Bob_the_Saver wrote: »

Imagine finding the words Rip-off and Taxi in the same post!

That's very unfair!

We used to own the franchise at Stansted (my parents, then it passed down to OH), and what you probably don't realise is that we're paying a percentage of our turnover to the airport operator, and they set conditions on cars.

We ran an all-Ford Galaxy, unmarked fleet in the 10 years, and these were changed every 4 months for brand new models. Believe it or not, this was the basis of about 50% of our profit.

When Checkers took over, they ran the last of our cars ('07' plate) to 5 years, and I know that towards the end of the franchise, the cars were regularly breaking down and scruffy, and this was one of the major reasons they didn't get the franchise extended. I saw several pop up on eBay with more than 300k miles, and one with nearly 500k.

I know that I'll probably be argued at for posting this, however to an extent, you get what you pay for.

CK

Voyager2002

Manchester airport has a main-line railway station. Only a moron or a millionaire would use a taxi when a train is available.

mcfisco

Voyager2002 wrote: »

Manchester airport has a main-line railway station. Only a moron or a millionaire would use a taxi when a train is available.

Sort of depends were you're going/coming from
I fly into Man every now and then to meet with a supplier based in Lymm.

zagfles

Voyager2002 wrote: »

Manchester airport has a main-line railway station. Only a moron or a millionaire would use a taxi when a train is available.

Bit of a silly statement. If there's 4 of you a taxi is usually about the same price as public transport, and if you've got a early departure/late arrival it may not be possible to get public transport.

Our local taxi company does a run to the airport for £19, and it takes about 20-30 mins off peak. According to the GMPTE website we'd need to leave at 02:35 to get to the airport for 06:00 by public transport, and I doubt it'd be much different in price.

Bob_the_Saver

CKhalvashi wrote: »

That's very unfair!

CK

It's VERY fair, I didn't say EVERY operator but I could give examples all around the world. I often get a cab or other transport just outside airport entrances and save a fortune. The price may be bumped up by the taxi co or the airport or whoever but a rip-off is a rip-off.

shellsuit

C_Mababejive wrote: »

Manchester airport has got to be one of the worst in Europe.

It appears that they do not allow or permit open competition when it comes to taxis. They have their own arrangements with black cabs and their preferred private hire company.

http://www.manchesterairport.co.uk/manweb.nsf/Content/taxi

Any other private hire company that wishes to pickup a passenger who has booked them must go park in the car park £2.80,walk on foot to get their passenger then return to the car.

My local taxi co charges £14.00 for an airport trip.Arrow cars,their in house taxi charges over £20.

What's wrong with that?

When we book, we pay the parking charge on top of the fare.

We've booked with other companies too, who just tell us to ring when we have landed, then wait at 'A' bus stop for them.

callum9999

Voyager2002 wrote: »

Manchester airport has a main-line railway station. Only a moron or a millionaire would use a taxi when a train is available.

Or someone who feels they would struggle to use the train so feels the extra couple of pounds is worth saving the hassle...

I never use taxis unless I really have to, but there are plenty of people around - particularly the elderly and disabled - who find navigating public transport difficult.

zagfles

Bob_the_Saver wrote: »

It's VERY fair, I didn't say EVERY operator but I could give examples all around the world. I often get a cab or other transport just outside airport entrances and save a fortune. The price may be bumped up by the taxi co or the airport or whoever but a rip-off is a rip-off.

Pre-booked taxis to/from the airport are often much cheaper than similar length journies elsewhere. Local taxi company charges £19 for a 20 mile journey to the airport, usual charge is £1.90 per mile ie £38 for a 20 mile journey.

CKhalvashi

Bob_the_Saver wrote: »

It's VERY fair, I didn't say EVERY operator but I could give examples all around the world. I often get a cab or other transport just outside airport entrances and save a fortune. The price may be bumped up by the taxi co or the airport or whoever but a rip-off is a rip-off.

So, you buy something for £1 at your corner shop, that was 50p at a large supermarket.

Does that mean the corner shop ripped you off?

As I've already mentioned, when you're paying 18% of your turnover to the operating company, then you'll be 18% more expensive than the local metered company. I was running jobs for £26 for the franchise, that I was running for £24 metered in my own taxi. The fact that a company may offer a small discount isn't the operators fault.

I don't know if anyone realised this (especially with another comment above), but for 3+ people, you may be even cheaper than the train by using a taxi. Stansted to London was £26 a person, 5 years ago. The same airport car for 3 was £81, and when you're talking 4/5/6, the savings get big.

CK