Taxi booking apps FREENOW and Gett to set sights on improving taxi airport work in 2025
The year ahead sees a heightened focus on improving black taxi accessibility at London’s airports, with industry leaders pledging to enhance driver experience.
An improvement in fare opportunities and efficiency for all cabbies picking up at airports like Heathrow, could be seen as a way into more efficient and lucrative airport fares. Currently only a select number of taxi drivers who hold ‘tags’ at Heathrow are able access terminal work.
In a recent interview with TaxiPoint, FREENOW UK’s Head of Operations, Nour Rasamny, emphasised the importance of high-value jobs, such as pre-booked airport transfers. Rasamny stated: “We will also focus on our product. We know the driver app is the core of the driver experience, so we’re committed to continuing to enhance it, making it even more user-friendly. For example, high-value jobs like prebook airport transfers will be a key area, as they’re in high demand and give drivers excellent earning opportunities as well as giving passengers greater convenience and efficiency.”
Meanwhile, Chris Lewis, Managing Director at Gett UK, outlined plans for 2025, including expanding the platform’s offerings. “We are focusing on delivering a variety of airport travel options to remove the hassle from journeys to and from London’s terminals,” said Lewis. He added that partnerships with London hotels to streamline taxi bookings have already gained traction.
At Heathrow Airport, however, frustration lingers over the restrictive tag system required for drivers to access terminal ranks. At the tail end of last year, the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA) reports that over 1,300 drivers remain queued for a tag, with fewer than 100 allocated each year under Heathrow’s ‘one in, one out’ policy. Since the policy was introduced in 2019, only 440 new drivers have gained access, leaving others facing potential wait times exceeding a decade.
The policy has drawn criticism from the taxi trade, with drivers highlighting the inefficiency of travelling away from the airport after passenger drop-offs when terminal ranks remain underutilised. Concerns also extend to rising costs, emissions, and wasted shift time due to enforced dead mileage.
Calls are mounting for Heathrow to reconsider its allocation process and introduce more flexible solutions. With the number of licensed black cabs falling from over 20,000 in 2019 to around 15,000 today, the trade is urging a review to better support the capital’s evolving taxi sector.
Heathrow’s taxi rank, accommodating up to 500 black cabs, remains a vital hub, but access restrictions risk limiting its potential. For drivers and passengers alike, improving efficiency and inclusivity will be key to sustaining London’s reputation for world-class airport transport services.
