"Richard J." wrote:

AIUI taxi drivers have to join the long queue in the feeder park unless
they have just finished a short journey from the airport, in which case
they get a special ticket which entitles them to join the rank at one of
the terminals directly. So, if you live at Brentford, your driver will
be happy because he'll get back to the terminal quickly. And if you
live in Kensington, he'll be able to charge you a lot, and he'll be even
happier. But if you live in Chiswick or Twickenham, it's just outside
the "short journey" area, and you may have to suffer a grumpy driver.

In this case, why doesn't the driver ply for his/her next customer in
Chiswick or Twickenham then, rather than go back to the airport empty?
Surely there are plenty of rich people in these areas who wouldn't dream of
getting a bus?

Or has the successful lobbying of the LTDA for exhorbitant fares come back
to haunt the black cab trade, in the form of customers deserting to licensed
minicabs?

Chris