Some Wellington taxi drivers say the city's airport is unfairly penalising them for low-level mistakes which are costing them thousands of dollars in lost business.
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Drivers from Green Cabs said in some cases they had been banned from operating at Wellington Airport for taking a cigarette break in the wrong area or not driving slowly enough.
One driver, Abdullah, said he was banned for two weeks for driving through an airport taxi stop sign early in the morning when no traffic was about, costing him $2000 in lost earnings.
"It's unfair - if this was a normal sign in the city and I was stopped by a police officer, I'd receive a small fine, not a two week ban," he said.
He said drivers from other companies had done the same thing and had not been penalised.
Another driver, Hossein, said he received a two week ban for smoking in an area used by many other drivers.
"Everyone smokes in this place, corporate drivers, we all do it and I get banned for two weeks," he said.
Wellington Airport said if a driver was seen to behave in an inappropriate or unsafe manner, it could issue an infringement notice or stand them down from operating for a period of time.
