KEY POINTS:
It's sweltering hot in the cab drivers' waiting area at Auckland International Airport, but no one dares loosen their top button and remove their tie.
Stringent standards of driver presentation - insisted on by airport officials and rigidly enforced by the taxi companies - make wearing ties a compulsory part of the drivers' job.
Failure to do so, even while waiting for a rank space, will result in a fine from the taxi company.
"I don't know of a driver being fined, but if any of our drivers were found without a tie, he would be fined, severely penalised," said Corporate Cabs managing director Craig Marshall.
Drivers without ties would also be fined by Citicabs, which has the biggest presence at the airport.
Citicab's compliance officer Raj Kumar said: "If you won't wear a tie, you won't work the airport.
"If you don't have a good presentation for people coming into the country, we ain't going to get a contract with Auckland International Airport.
"When they sign a contract to work with us, drivers sign up to abide by the terms of the licence we have with the airport company and one of those is uniform standard."
Mr Kumar said the airport company operated a demerit points system against taxi companies, which could affect the chances of their tendering to work there.
"It's because we have to maintain standards. It costs a lot of money for companies to work out at the airport and because we charge accordingly, we have to have some standards there.
"You only have to look in the inner city to see how variable standards are and we don't want this out at the airport," said Mr Kumar.
Auckland Co-op Taxis board member Harpreet Gill said its inspectors would probably give a warning for the first time a driver was not wearing a tie. But the second time, an instant fine of $50 would be imposed. The third time, the company's demerit points system would kick in.
This could lead to a driver appearing before a judicial panel with their job at stake.
"We have a uniform which includes a tie and set colours for trousers, blazer and shoes."
Mr Gill said taxi companies had to abide by not only the airport's rules but also those of Land Transport New Zealand.
The agency demands drivers act in an "orderly, clean and civil manner".
Mr Gill said drivers should not be seen by the public with their ties off, cleaning their cars while away from the rank in the waiting area.
Discount Taxis does not wait at the airport rank but is called there by customers. Owner Alan Webster said the company tried to encourage drivers to wear a tie, but did not absolutely enforce it.
"It's a hard one to enforce. Some people cannot wear one ... it gets too hot sometimes.
"But we pick up a lot of people from the airport and while they think about price they do care about dress actually.
"A tie is a symbol of cleanliness."
Alert Taxis managing director Robert van Heiningen said it was hard for anyone sitting in air-conditioned offices to force anyone to wear a tie in the summer.
But the airport company had traffic marshals who keenly watched for breeches of its driver rules.
Airport retail general manager Nick Forbes said its demerit points system was to enforce behaviour, including standards of dress and vehicle.
"We say a driver must be dressed in the uniform of their company, but we don't stipulate what the uniform is.
"It's about service delivery to passengers.
"We are often the first thing international guests see, so it is to ensure there are appropriate standards.
"There is implicit trust of a passenger that services are ones they can safely use and you will be treated as a guest in New Zealand."
Airport rules
* Taxi drivers should be clean and tidily presented.
* All their clothing must be of a high standard.
* They must comply with their company's dress code and wear their uniform in accordance with that code.
* Always wear their name badge.
