48-hour taxi strike in Athens: Chaos for 10,000 tourists!

48-hour taxi strike in Athens: Chaos for 10,000 tourists!

Athen, Griechenland - The taxi and Uber policy of the Athener Airport and the decisions of the Ministry of Finance have been making a massive protest of around 14,000 taxi drivers in Athens today. The taxi drivers have proclaimed a 48-hour strip to paralyze traffic in the capital and to draw attention to their concerns. As a result, important traffic arteries are blocked by taxi corsos, which is a significant challenge, especially for tourists. Currently there are an estimated 10,000 German tourists in Athens, who rely on public transport during the strike to get between the city center and the airport.

One of the main folding points is the introduction of stops for Uber vehicles in the arrival area of ​​the airport, which is of great displeasure among the regular taxi drivers. These criticize the unfair competitive situation because you often have to wait for customers for a long time, while Uber drivers can specifically collect passengers via app. In addition, the fixed price for journeys between the city center and the airport, which is 40 euros during the day and 55 euros at night for the 38 -kilometer route, is not considered to be covered. The union of Athens taxi drivers have expressed concerns that the fixed prices do not cover the actual costs due to the high traffic volume and the varied route lengths.

collapse with nationwide strike

The second day of the taxi strike coincides with a nationwide strike by public and private employees, which is led by the large ADED union. This demands a comprehensive account of the tragic train disaster of February 28, 2023, in which almost 60 people were killed. The nationwide strike should not only affect the taxi industry, but also affect all public transport in Athens. It is also expected that many ferries will remain in the harbor and numerous flights will be canceled due to the participation of the air traffic controller association.

The current situation in Athens once again shows the challenges with which the taxi industry and other employees are confronted in the public sector. Both the citizens and the tourists in the city have to adapt to considerable restrictions in public transport.

For more information about the background of the protests, you can do the articles on Süddeutsche.de and independent.co.uk Read.