After Mallorca fury: Taxi rules could be changed | World

A nice trip to the beach on the other side, or dinner in a restaurant or getting to the airport on time. In touristy Mallorca, taxis are running hot to transport sunbathers and bathers around the island. But in many areas the waiting time is long, sometimes several hours.

The reason is the rules that restrict taxis to specific areas and prevent them from taking customers outside of them.

Taxis return empty.

Thus, taxis taking tourists from Palma to the hotel-packed Illetas or Alcudia, for example, are not allowed to pick anyone up once they arrive there. Instead, the empty cars return to the inner city area. All the while the taxi queues grow.

“It would be better for us, for everyone, for you.” Calvia is suffering from a shortage of taxis, says a driver, frustrated at not being able to take tourists waiting here.

Even if repeat visitors know that the wait time can be long, the frustration can still be great.

“It could be in half an hour, or in three hours, we don’t know,” says the receptionist resignedly. The residents of a hotel in Illetas help many Swedish tourists book taxis over the phone.

In addition to the risk of missing their flight for those who are unlucky enough during rush hour, the lack of taxis in the areas can also lead to costs for tourists after many restaurants impose a reservation fee. By the account card registered at the time of reservation, the fee is automatically deducted in the event of a no-show or late arrival.

Vote for change

But now there may be a change.

This fall, the island will vote on changing rules that require taxis to only transport tourists in their areas.

The implementation of the regulation on the agenda would instead mean that taxis from all municipalities in Mallorca would be able to drive in any other municipality.

A previous proposal also concerned the introduction of a special system whereby taxis from neighbouring municipalities would agree to share the work during the peak season, so that demand could thus be met.