Taxis ban bags from Africa
Taxis ban bags from Africa
"I OPENED the boot and it was crawling with maggots." Licensed taxi driver Leslie Samuel will never forget the day he accepted a fair from passengers arriving from a West African country. "The stench was terrible and it happens every day at Gatwick airport. All the drivers know that its the early morning flights from Lagos, Nigeria, that are the worst," says Mr Samuel. "After that experience, I always say: Ill take you anywhere you want but not your bags."
Nigel Jones, chairman of the Gatwick Airport Drivers Association, who represents about 300 drivers, confirms that he has heard of many similar complaints and experienced problems himself. "We dont know whats in the bags but the smell gives us a good idea," says Mr Jones. "Passengers often become very insulting when drivers refuse to take their bags. What bothers us is that this is not stopped by the airlines."