easyPlyforhire...!
Report by Terry Hamstom (B24)
Most people - and cab drivers are people too - can admire the
business acumen of the man known by many simply as Stelios.
Stelios Haji-Loannou was born in Athens in 1967. In 1984, he
moved to London to study at the London School of Economics where he
graduated in 1987 with a Bsc in Economics. One year later he graduated
from the City University Business School with an Msc in Shipping Trade and
Finance and joined his father's shipping company. Stelios is nobody's
fool!
In 1995 he founded the easyJet airline company and within
three years he had formed the easyGroup, a holding company to explore new
ventures extending the "easy" brand. His first venture was
easyEverything, the Internet shop.
He has now started
|
easyRentacar. With this
company (all "easy" companies are accessed via the
Internet), you can rent an 'A' class Mercedes for the low price of £9 a
day.
Stelios claimed that those wanting to rent a car were being
ripped off with the prices asked. Needless to say, this new venture is
also proving to be successful and no doubt, licensed cab drivers will also
be taking advantage of the excellent rate for hiring a self-drive car. His
London site is at London Bridge and Stelios expects to have a fleet of
4000 Mercs by the end of the year.
But could easyRentacar bring its own problems? The answer is
yes. Read on...
EasyPlyforhire
On Thursday May 4th, I was driving my cab along Moorgate. In
front of me was a new 'A'class Mercedes with the "easyRentacar
sticker in the back window. Later, I was to see it on the driver's door
but noticed that it |
had been removed from the passenger's door.
Then, bold as brass, he stopped for someone who had their
hand out for a taxi. The passenger waved them away. He drove on and then
stopped again for yet another passenger who was looking for a taxi. This
time the prospective passenger (a female) got in and he drove off.
Our job is tough enough as it is, but can you imagine if
touts could get hold of 'W' reg Mercs at nine quid a day? We'd be wiped
out overnight.
Stelios is a smart businessman and I can't imagine that he
would approve or encourage such actions. At least I hope not...
No doubt the pages of Call sign will be open to Stelios
should he wish to respond, but as of May 22nd, nothing has been heard... |
