UK tourists 'stranded' across Canary Islands with 'lack of communication'
A massive taxi strike across the Canary Islands left holidaymakers and locals stranded as they waited hours for airport and holiday transfers yesterday (Wednesday). A three-hour taxi strike was staged by drivers.
The strike, which took place between 10am and 1pm caused an issue across the islands but particularly in Gran Canaria. Many visitors were unware of the planned stoppage and were forced to find alternative methods of travelling. According to Canaryianweekly.com, several foreign holidaymakers expressed their frustration, complaining that hotels had not informed them of the strikes.
The three-hour stoppage was organised by taxi cooperatives across the islands, calling for urgent government intervention to stop excessive increases in insurance premiums. Some taxi drivers report their annual insurance costs have risen to as much as €5,000 per vehicle, making it impossible to continue.
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Fernando Falcón, vice president of the Maspalomas Taxi Cooperative, described the strike as a "warning" to the regional and national governments. He called for collaborative solutions rather than government handouts, emphasising that the sector is not against price increases, but that they must be fair and reasonable.
He warned that if no action is taken, taxi drivers may escalate their protest with an extended strike, he added: "The next step will be a full-scale strike, not just three hours"
Taxi services had worked with hotels to inform them of the service reduction in advance, but some tourists were unaware as a result of "lack of communication". The strike has intensified pressure on authorities to intervene, as taxi drivers insist that rising operational costs will ultimately lead to fare increase and affect both locals and visitors.