It strikes me as bad comedy how most of these drivers are pouting about having to go on the dole as their livelihoods are apparently taken away?.... Last time i looked Wellington had a CITY somewhere out there by the Airport didn't they?. The only thing i can see they are missing out on is the ability to spend all day waiting on a chance job out of Wellington City. Also the state of half the fleets of these cab companies is deplorable! not to mention the drivers i have seen drivers near coming to blows out at the taxi rank in Welly i say good on Welly Airport for cleaning the place up It is an International Terminal is it not? one word people PROFESSIONALISM!

Couldn't care less if Wellington Combined have some sort of "priority" parking spot, because I only use Corporate Cabs. They're by far the most reliable, courteous, and clean cabs/drivers in Wellington AND Auckland. After years of mixed to poor experiences with other cab companies in Wellington, I finally twigged to Corporate Cabs and haven't gone back. They cost a bit more but, as someone pointed out earlier, you get what you pay for.

There seem to be way too many cabs for what Wellington requires. Especially the numbers sitting idle at the airport. Surely they would be better reducing the size of the taxi cab parking and freeing it up for public parking. With the additional parking space they could review the charges so those of us collecting people could park for 10 minutes without charges. Interesting how cab firms raise prices all the time due to petrol increases yet a lot of their vehicles are now electric. Last cab I asked the driver how much cheaper it was for a hybrid vehicle and he said they are saving 45% in overall costs. Maybe these savings should be passed onto the consumer before I give them full sympathy. Also reducing the number of cabs will mean less cabbies sitting idle and they could make a decent living then.

@Gravey #61 & Andrew #45 why the persistance banging on about the road code! who cares the whole point is the smaller taxi firms are not only getting dicked by the Airport but by the Police also and sure horn tooting is annoying but really a $150.00 fines a bit harsh,the horn tooting sensitive types and the Police should be thankful the taxi drivers dont resort to the antics of the G20 protesters in Toronto.

@Gravey #61 & Andrew #45 why the persistance banging on about the road code! who cares the whole point is the smaller taxi firms are not only getting dicked by the Airport but by the Police also and sure horn tooting is annoying but really a $150.00 fines a bit harsh,the horn tooting sensitive types and the Police should be thankful the taxi drivers dont resort to the antics of the G20 protesters in Toronto.

@Scotty B #56: No, you don't need to know your road code to catch cabs. However, your comment at #28 suggest you do need to know the road code before making that comment.

In any case, the taxis aren't excluded, just moved further away. In the airports I've been to overseas there are specific places for each taxi company.

In any case, the closest position was tendered. The other companies lost. Presuming the tender process was valid, then everyone had equal opportunity.

These taxi drivers expect everything for nothing most pay no more than $50 per month to the company in levies and the companies get them no work so they sit on stands all day. Other more reputible companies have to charge their drivers $400 - $1200 to cover their costs (paying for things like airport and Hotel ranks) To make up for the lack of work they rip customers off with high fare prices. They could join a company that has lots of work and would do so if they were really concerned about their families. Companies such as Corporate, Combined or Green Cabs but then they'd have higher levies to pay. For years they have had the prime rank at the airport and not paid anything at all except the standard barrier charge which by the way they on charge to the passengers they pick up. Some of the protesting companies actually took part in the tender and lost. The drivers have options but all they are after is to continue the free lunch they have had for years. In the end you get what you pay for or in this case didn't want to pay for

Having been on the receiving end of massive waiting times after calling for a cab to town, maybe this will have the effect of actually getting some more cabs on the street where they belong. You have to admit, these taxi drivers look pretty lazy hanging out at the airport with their fingers crossed for the fare to Palmy, when it takes 30 minutes for a bloody cab to pick me up from Miramar to head into the CBD. I say stuff em, if you want to work the airport, go work for combined.

It will be interesting to see if the standards of combined drop once they get control of the city, this often happens once an organization is a monopoly. Where do you think combined source all their drivers from, yep the smaller companies.

A good move, Wellington Combined standards are consistant in terms of their vehicle presentation, the rest are pretty much hit and miss.

I would say the Airport are aligning themselves with that factas apposed to simply going out of their way to make life hard for other operators as comments in the article suggest. If Wellington Combined have negotiated a deal...good on them, it's called business not fairness for a reason.