Final airport call for ‘epitome of taxi driver’

‘Taxi Sally’ Falla died at Les Bourgs Hospice on 4 March, aged 70.

After 34 years of driving people to and from the airport, friends and colleagues decided she should go there one last time by way of a cortege comprising of the hearse and several taxis.

The cortege stopped for a minute’s silence outside the terminal so those who could not attend the subsequent funeral at Les Cotils could pay their respects.

Miss Falla’s soul mate for more than 30 years, Andy Huddle, said it was a fitting tribute.

‘She spent about half her life waiting for people at the airport,’ he said.

‘She was very dedicated to the airport and making sure that the passengers were cleared. She would look at the webcam on her iPad and if she saw any problems she’d go straight up there.’

Her last three taxis had clocked up more than 750,000 miles between them and he was confident she had driven more than a million miles in her taxi work.

Friend Victor Detari drove Miss Falla’s most recent taxi behind the hearse while Mr Huddle followed behind in the minibus she had used before it.

Her father was Frank Falla whose book, The Silent War, is a must-read on the Occupation.

In his eulogy at the funeral, Guernsey Taxi Owners’ Federation president, Leon Gallienne said Miss Falla was an iconic figure who was well known throughout the taxi industry and the local community.

Airport management and staff from the traffic department had asked him to pass on their condolences and appreciation for her dedication and unsung commitment to providing her services to airport travellers throughout the Covid pandemic. Although she was in the high risk category, she always wanted to give back to the island.

He said Miss Falla was the island’s first woman sales consultant when she worked for Bougourd Ford in 1981 – a job she did for four years. In 1988 she joined the taxi family.

She loved Guernsey and the community spirit here and she was politically aware.

‘She would always keep us updated with island life and on many occasions would come up to me to discuss the contents of a letter she was writing to the Press with her views on the popular subject at the time,’ said Mr Gallienne.

‘She was often expressing the views of her taxi family and most of the time winning the argument.

‘One of these victories is the traffic management at the front entrance of airport. She fought her case for the airport filter system, and won.’

Gary Vaudin who conducted the service, said Miss Falla was conscientious, dependable and well organised.

‘Sally was the kind of person who carefully planned how she lived life and, as a taxi driver, she was 100% reliable, ever punctual,’ he said.

‘Blessed with a first-rate knowledge of local roads and of the island generally, conscientious, of an affable nature and punctually reliable, Sally was the epitome of an excellent taxi driver.’