Airport Wants to Go Tough on Muslim Taxi Drivers
Wednesday, January 03, 2007 at 8:35 pm
- 8 Comments
Taxi drivers who refuse to transport alcohol-toting customers will face a suspension of their licenses, according to a new proposal put forward to the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) on Wednesday.
Airport staff want a public hearing on the new policy, which calls for a 30-day suspension of licenses upon the first offense and two years on the second offense.
It’s a stark departure from last year’s deal, which would have assigned distinct color codes to drivers who don’t carry alcohol. That plan turned a huge public relations disaster for MAC, which quickly scrapped it.
Most of the taxi drivers, who MAC says shun about 100 customers a month, are Muslims who cite religious prohibitions of alcohol.
Regardless of religion, airport spokesman Pat Hogan said customer service is the priority. And any driver who’s not willing to serve all customers will face consequences.
Abdisalam Hashim, manager of Bloomington taxi, who participated in negotiations with MAC, says that they will present their own plan when the full commission discusses the issue on Jan. 16.
“Obviously, we’re disappointed,
8 Comments
Comment posted January 4, 2007 @ 8:43 am
How do they know? One question. If my liquor bottle is in my luggage how would they ever know I have alchohol? I think this is a non issue.
Comment posted January 4, 2007 @ 9:05 am
They only refuse visible booze As far as I know, cabdrivers refuse when the alcohol is visible to them.
Comment posted January 4, 2007 @ 11:16 am
100 incidents per month is hardly a “non-issue”. I find it a bit ironic that many of the cab drivers who are denying their services to people who have a legal product in their possession may have a big wad of khat (a controlled substance used as a recreational drug) in their pockets.
Comment posted January 4, 2007 @ 5:55 pm
To the contrary Quite the contrary, the pious cabdrivers who refuse alcohol also despise “khat”, which’s generally chewed by non-religious folks.
Cosumers of “khat” are generally dealt with a condescending attitude. So the notion that alcohol-refusers use khat is exactly not accurate.
“khat” and alcohol are the same to many of these folks…
Comment posted January 4, 2007 @ 2:43 am
How do they know? One question. If my liquor bottle is in my luggage how would they ever know I have alchohol? I think this is a non issue.
Comment posted January 4, 2007 @ 3:05 am
They only refuse visible booze As far as I know, cabdrivers refuse when the alcohol is visible to them.
Comment posted January 4, 2007 @ 5:16 am
100 incidents per month is hardly a “non-issue”. I find it a bit ironic that many of the cab drivers who are denying their services to people who have a legal product in their possession may have a big wad of khat (a controlled substance used as a recreational drug) in their pockets.
Comment posted January 4, 2007 @ 11:55 am
To the contrary Quite the contrary, the pious cabdrivers who refuse alcohol also despise “khat”, which's generally chewed by non-religious folks.
Cosumers of “khat” are generally dealt with a condescending attitude. So the notion that alcohol-refusers use khat is exactly not accurate.
“khat” and alcohol are the same to many of these folks…
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