Palma cabbies claim victory over airport

Palma taxi drivers were claiming an important victory yesterday after the Balearic government announced that it is to suspend the decree approved by central government in Madrid which has opened the airport taxi rank up to non-Palma registered cabbies and provoked two days of angry scenes at Son San Joan. The Balearic Minister for Transport, Josep Antoni Ferrer, made the announcement yesterday in a desperate bid to prevent Palma taxi drivers continuing with there calendar of flash industrial action and to bring an end to the tension at the airport. The four-hour protest on Tuesday morning and yesterday's unexpected continuation of industrial action left hundreds of tourists stranded without a taxi service and facing the threat of eight hours of industrial action tomorrow, the busiest day of the week for the airport. The Balearic government decided to take swift action. Sources at the local Ministry for Transport said yesterday after two days of “conflict” at the airport, the state decree has been suspended and a legal and autonomous solution will be sought. Today the Balearic government will study a series of alternative measures to regulate the collecting and dropping off of passengers at Palma airport. Yesterday, Balearic Transport Minister Ferrer met representatives for the taxi drivers from the Small Business Federation and the Federation of Balearic Business Associations, as well as Palma and Calvia council officials to make a start on reaching a rapid solution.