Cabbies stage another protest at Melbourne Airport
Angry taxi drivers are holding yet another blockade at Melbourne Airport to protest changes to the short fare queuing system.
Taxi drivers have planned two protests today in response to the airport scrapping a queue for cabbies taking short-distance fares after concerns about drivers rorting the system.
Between 40 and 50 taxis blocked the "feeder lanes" drivers use to access the terminal.
But Melbourne Airport says some taxis are still operating and an alternative lane has been opened for them to use.
"There is a minority group of cab drivers who are protesting," airport spokesperson Anna Gillett said on Tuesday.
The airport is running additional Skybuses to help passengers, she said.
Protest spokesman Harkaran Singh said they wanted to send a message that drivers who queue for hours only to drive passengers a short distance should get priority.
"It's a bit of a hassle, but what should we do?" Mr Singh told Fairfax Radio.
"We wait there for two-and-a-half hours and we get a job for $10 and we're not allowed to come back straight into the queue like we did before.
"We have been trying to negotiate for two months but the airport is not prepared to listen."
Ms Gillett said Melbourne Airport had removed its short-fare system following feed-back from drivers that it was being rorted.
"We have some drivers thanking us, but we have some protesting because the system was removed," Ms Gillett said.
Ms Gillett said the airport was happy to look at all suggestions for change, including technological solutions, but there needed to be some consensus from drivers.
Melbourne Airport has been speaking with the Victorian Taxi Association, she said.
But Mr Singh said there were moves to form a dedicated drivers group.
Premier Denis Napthine said the protest was a waste of time and a disruption.
"Surely you don't need to disrupt hundreds of thousands of people and air travellers and the whole of Melbourne to sort out a simple matter like how we deal with short fares," he said.
Drivers say they will continue their stand until airport management agrees to meet to try and resolve the issue.
It comes after more than 300 taxi drivers staged a blockade on May 3 and blocked Melbourne Airport's roads with their cabs again on May 6.
