Long queues for taxis formed at Palma airport today as the airport made the headlines for all the wrong reasons again.
Eyewitnesses told the Bulletin that queues for taxis strectched well into the airport terminal, which was already busy with thousands of passengers.
One eyewitness told the Bulletin: "This is simply not acceptable, the last thing you want is to have a long wait after a relatively long flights. There have been numerous reports about queues at the airport as the summer season gets underway.
"Just back from Majorca and will not be returning soon. Roads around the airport,a nightmare. Security and passport control long queues almost missed flight home. We will be booking our next holiday soon but not too Majorca," said Bulletin reader Alexander Duncan in an email.
And it is not only the queues.
"We have been parking in the airport multi story car park, long term, since 2017. This year when we returned in April and had to renew the charges. It had risen by 87% to 3500 euro pa from £1850 euro pa, last year," said reader John Woods.
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I haven’t been back to the island since end of 2019 and my “see you next June “to Jose as I shook his hand and walked to the car. But my previous arrival experience of taxis is as Morgan says busy but by the time you get to the ramp end, there’s a car pulling in. Never waited more than 5 or 10 mins. Which at peak times is pretty good. I have also wondered why a tram or light rail system does not operate from airport and along the coast to Palma and other urbanisation, just assumed the economics favoured roads. Which are very good but busy. And of course some of the island is a bit lumpy, giving civil engineering challenges and lots of tunnelling costs. I tend not to hire a car, i have enough of cars at home and use taxis to and from Palma and trips around to saint elm and the likes. The little busses are great for short trips. But a rail or tram link would be great for the island particularly freeing up road capacity and of course the green agenda and air quality.
I've flown in and out of the airport several times in the past month, and while busy as usual, haven't seen anything unusual. But then, I haven't flown outside the EU in a long while. Taxi queues are always busy at peak times. This is nothing new. But I admit I don't use them, so I'm no expert. I've always felt there needs to be better public transport links - rail, busses, etc. Busses are actually pretty good. But a frequent rail link from airport would be a huge improvement. I know they've planned a rail link from PMI to plaça d'Espanya... Big, tough job, though. Will no doubt piss a lot of people off in the process... But express rail links directly from the airport to Alcudia and somewhere in the east, say Son servera and/or Cala millor, would be a galactic improvement. The could connect the airport to the manacor line... And revive the extension to arta. The land is bought, the bridges have been built, the train stations have been built... But sitting silent. Not good use of resources.
Unless Palma Airport are given heavy fines. Plus dismissal of those responsible for the chaos. Mallorcas failing reputation will cause future Tourists to go elsewhere. Those who have experienced the ongoing failures will tell others of their bad holidays.
I was horrified to find the car parking charges had doubled from what I paid just over 2 years ago €1500 to now €3000. I had to pay a wapping €6000 for the airport long stay carpark until October. Luckily I was able to inform my credit card company about this excessive bill, which they covered. I now will be looking else were like a lot of other people. Previously Level 5 would be around, I would say 80 to 90% full. Last Friday when I left my car in the airport it was around 40%. at the most. Dose AENA want long stay parking anymore on levels 5 and 6 or 2 empty levels and loss of revenue?