AIRPORT bosses have been branded “greedy” over a controversial new departure charge for travellers.
From the start of next month anyone catching a taxi at Aberdeen Airport will be hit with a £7 fee.
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This is to replace a £200 a week subscription fee that allows cabbies to pick up and leave punters at the terminal’s exclusive rank.
Meanwhile taxis from external firms have the option of dropping off punters for free. Raging drivers are up in arms about the move.
A source said: “It is greed, pure and simple. There is no other way to describe it.
“The drivers feel that it’s absolutely ridiculous that they have to hammer customers with this charge.
Read more on airport charges
“It’s the guys sitting behind the wheel who will get all the flack for this and have to deal with it, not the airport management.
“The drivers don’t want to do it. Using the airport is expensive enough as it is without this being slapped on top.”
Aberdeen Airport has a fleet of specially registered drivers who have exclusive rights to pick up at the rank outside the oil capital’s terminal.
They are self employed and at the moment pay out up to £10,400 a year for the privilege.
But from May 1st that levy will be scrapped and instead anyone getting into their cab will pay £7 on top of their journey.
That cash will go directly to Aberdeen Airport and APCOA Parking, the firm that manages taxis at the site.
It’s hoped this will make it easier to recruit drivers to the exclusive rank as the fleet has been cut in half in recent years.
While cabs from outside companies can choose to leave travellers in the free drop off area situated in the long stay car park, which is further away from the terminal.
These drivers can also pay out £5.50 to use the drop-off zone, and again pass the charge to passengers.
Angry airport cabbies are baffled by the new rules and are demanding clarity from bosses.
After being told about the plans they held a meeting this week, which was wrongly labelled a strike.
An insider said: “No one has a clue what’s going on.
“The drivers don’t really understand what all this is going to mean for them going forward.
“Customers are demanding Uber and calling the entire trade rip-off merchants already. And this is before anything is introduced.
“It is an absolute nightmare. No one can see why anyone thought it would be a good idea.”
One local said: “In the future it will be cheaper to take a taxi to the bus stop and get the bus to the airport. This is pure greed from the airport as far as I’m concerned.
In an email APCOA described the move as a “departure fee based model. And revealed the move should make it “cost-neutral” for drivers to work at the airport.
A spokesman for Aberdeen Airport said: “The recruitment of taxi drivers remains a challenge not just for the airport but city-wide.
“In January, Aberdeen International Airport committed to implementing changes to improve the service for passengers.
“We will continue to work with drivers within our fleet to provide more flexibility.”
Drop-off fees are charged at Scotland’s largest airports.
Aberdeen Airport has a £5.50 levy which allows motorists to stop in the express area at the front of the terminal for up to 15 minutes.
It was increased from £5 in February meaning the levy has gone up 450% since it was brought into force nine years ago.
Drivers also have the option of stopping for free in the long stay car park, which is further away from the terminal.
Glasgow Airport charges the same £5.50 for up to 15 minutes and hiked the fee in February.
Read more on the Scottish Sun
At Edinburgh Airport travellers face a £5 charge for up to ten minutes and that then increases by £1 a minute.
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