Alex Trelinski
A TAXI drivers association at Alicante-Elche airport has dismissed reports of regular long delays for cabs as a ‘smear campaign’ which paints an incorrect picture of the situation.
The respected Informacion newspaper reported a 25 minute hold-up last Thursday night.
One person queuing up- the renowned economist Andres Pedreño- complained via social media about having to wait.
He said he could not understand the problem as only two planes had landed.
Informacion also sourced drivers as saying that delays of between 40 minutes to an hour are happening on weekdays
The Elche Auto Taxi Entreprenuers Association which represents the vast majority of drivers at the airport says reporting has not given a fair reflection of the actual situation.
24 extra cab licenses were created last autumn after delays of up to two hours were reported at off-peak times during the high season over recent years.
The association admits some queues may form under specific situations- mainly in the late evening when a cluster of delayed flights arrive.
“When between 10 and 15 flights land in less than an hour, and there is no other transport option, waits of up 10 minutes can happen,” it said in statement.
The group pointed out that such instances are no different to other Spanish airports or high-speed rail stations.
It defended the professionalism of its service at Alicante-Elche airport which they say responds to the high demand during the peak tourist season.
“International tourists perfectly understand what might happen in specific situations and the most critical comments normally come from domestic users,” they commented.
In a response to the local media, it asked for ‘more rigour and responsibility’ over reporting.
“We are open to dialogue and continuous improvement, but also willing to defend the dignity and work of all our professionals in the face of information that does not conform to the truth,” they concluded.
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