Anger among the taxi drivers at Eindhoven Airport. They are striking this Monday because they do not agree with the new rates. Today there are hardly any taxis to and from Eindhoven Airport. If fare prices are not adjusted quickly, more actions will follow and there is even a threat of a blockade of the airport.
It is quiet at the taxi stand in front of Eindhoven Airport. The taxi drivers are not happy with the email they received on Friday. It states that they are no longer allowed to pass on the airport surcharge to the customer.
Taxi drivers now pay an amount of around six euros when they drive through the barrier towards the taxi rank. They passed this amount on to the customers. “The customers were also aware of this,” says Mehmet Yarangumeli of taxicentrale.org
“Now we drive almost for nothing.”
The email from RVC, the company that makes agreements with taxi drivers at Eindhoven Airport, announces that a new rate schedule will apply. According to Mehmet, these are ridiculous amounts because they cannot recoup the airport surcharge. “Now we drive almost for nothing. It really makes a big difference.”
The result is that all taxi drivers who usually work at Eindhoven Airport are now on strike. They want this new rule to be thrown out. If that does not happen, the taxi drivers want to block the airport later this week.
RVC indicates through a spokesperson that they are trying to figure out what is going on. The company does not want to respond substantively. Those involved within RVC are also keeping their mouths tight for the time being.
“Normally it is completely full and we have an online queue with 55 drivers.”
Yet RVC seems to be aware of the matter. The company is now desperately trying to get taxis to Eindhoven Airport through other channels. Around noon there were two taxis. They are not aware of the strike, but are surprised at how quiet it is now. “Normally it is completely full and we have an online queue with 55 drivers. But now there is no one.” The taxi driver also indicated that his boss normally does not require him to stand here. The taxis that do become available are approached by the strikers. Emotions sometimes run high.
Not much later the two taxis are gone and it is quiet again at the taxi stand. A Canadian traveler doesn’t understand it. “I’m just going to call an Uber,” he sighs.
The email from RVC also discusses the behavior of certain taxi drivers. Mehmet indicates that he agrees that the bad apples should disappear, but that this is separate from the issue surrounding the airport surcharge. Eindhoven Airport has stated that it is very annoying that there is a limited supply of taxis. A spokesperson reports that discussions are now underway between the two parties, but that the airport has no influence on this because it has been outsourced to RVC.
