A LIMO firm boss is embroiled in a battle with Southend Airport amid claims his fleet had been “banned” from dropping off and picking up passengers outside the terminal.

The owner of American Limos, based in Southend, criticised the airport after claiming his drivers had been told they would instead have to park 500 yards away from the entrance, or in the nearby McDonald’s car park.

The owner, who asked not to be named, said he was initially told his fleet tended to spend too much time in the drop off and pick up zone.

American Limos is fully licensed by Rochford Council, alongside Andrews Taxis and AC Taxis. Both firms are able to use the drop off and pick up area.

The owner claimed he not not been offered any reasonable solutions.

But Southend Airport has responded to his claims and put in place a short-term solution while a longer-term plan is worked

out.

The 52-year-old owner said: “They told us that we can either park in the McDonald’s car park, or park 500 yards down the road and then do a U-turn.

“The road is not wide enough for our cars to do a u-turn. Our cars also do not fit inside the McDonald’s car park. They’ve fined us £100 for the last time we went there on December 30.

“We have been forced to drop our customers off on Sutton Road at the roundabout before the airport. This is illegal.

“I don’t sit there like normal taxis, I live five minutes away. When someone calls me to tell me that they’ve landed, I just drive to them.”

A spokesperson for London Southend Airport said: “The American Limo company has not been banned from the airport.

“They sent a message via Facebook Messenger on Monday, January 20, that was received by our social media team, requesting an agreement to drop off passengers immediately outside the front entrance of the airport rather than 500 yards from the front entrance.

“We explained to American Limo that this wasn’t the appropriate channel to make this request, but that the airport would be happy to discuss it.”

The spokesperson added: “We received an email from American Limo which has now been responded to and we have made the offer to start a dialogue.”