Tension mounts with cabbies on a war footing

The island's taxi drivers are on a war footing and yesterday the Director General for Transport made it clear that the department has no intention of taking sides between the Palma cabbies and taxi drivers from outside the municipality. This summer, for the first time ever, taxi drivers from outside the municipality of Palma will be allowed to pick up clients at Palma airport and the port. Palma cabbies are adamantly opposed to the move and are threatening strike action. But yesterday non-Palma cabbies went on the offensive, claiming that the two taxi inspectors on duty at the airport over the weekend, were acting with the best interests of Palma taxi drivers at heart. Twenty taxis were inspected, 17 failed to be able to present the necessary contract to pick up clients at the airport, while 19 were caught for not displaying their municipal badge. According to Palma cabbies, their “competitors” are taking their municipal badges down as they near the airport. There were also complaints yesterday that the non-Palma cabbies are not joining the official parking rank, and picking clients up in other areas of the terminal.