GREECE: A strike by public transport and taxi drivers in Athens leaves tourists and travellers scrambling, with flights delayed or cancelled

Record ID: 339370

  • Title: GREECE: A strike by public transport and taxi drivers in Athens leaves tourists and travellers scrambling, with flights delayed or cancelled
  • Date: 23rd September 2011
  • Summary: TRAVELLERS INSIDE DEPARTURE HALL AT ATHENS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
  • Embargoed: 8th October 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Greece, Greece
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: Economic News,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA7S1SB7UQY75QYFIGFMS8GO82W
  • Story Text: Tourists and passengers at Athens International Airport scrambled to find means after public transport shut down in a 24 hour public service transport and taxi drivers strike on Thursday (September 22).
    Lines of passengers and tourists formed outside the airport waiting for transportation to the centre of Athens.
    A private sector regional bus service, which travels to surrounding towns, organised a special hourly route to Athens to accommodate journey makers during the strike. Passengers were largely left to use private vehicles.
    Many holiday makers were left disgruntled by the stoppage.
    "No warning, got off the plane, can't get a limo, a taxi, a bus, a train, can't hire a car because there's nowhere I can drop it off so we are pretty much stuck here and we might miss our cruise at this stage," said Sean who was visiting from Australia.
    "I can't see how you can shut down your whole transport system like this, this would never happen in Melbourne they would always have some option open for you and first impressions count and I don't think this a very good one at this stage," he added.
    The transport system was brought to a standstill in protest against the government's decision to intensify its austerity drive to secure more aid and save the debt-laden country from bankruptcy.
    Air traffic controllers were to stop for three hours in the middle of the day, causing delays and cancellations of flights.
    Tourist, Matthew Brigdon, from London said it was difficult for holidaymakers to understand the pause in services.
    "Obviously I am not Greek so it's very difficult for me to understand it completely but I obviously read and hear in the news, in the press about what the Greek people are facing. As a traveller it's obviously disruptful and I don't really want to be stuck at the airport for 2 or 3 hours," Matthew said.
    In the government's decision on Wednesday property taxes introduced last week will be collected for two more years, pensions will be reduced again, and 30,000 state workers are going to be axed.
    The government is also planning to merge public transport services, which will cause layoffs and transfers.
    The latest measures come after Greece failed to meet the targets of its international bailout.
    Greece's two biggest unions -- representing some 2.5 million people -- have also slated two days of strikes in October.
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