Taxi drivers working out of Larnaca Airport held a 30-minute work stoppage and peaceful protest outside the airport from noon on Monday.

According to driver representative Christakis Antoniou, the drivers are mainly protesting against Turkish Cypriot taxi drivers allegedly poaching their customers.

Antoniou says that while the taxi drivers have no problem with the Turkish Cypriot drivers taking clients to destinations in the north, they should not also be taking customers to destinations in the south.

The taxi drivers do not intend to prevent vehicles from entering or leaving the airport, Antoniou told state radio.

Airports are considered to be a choice location amongst taxi drivers who closely guard their lucrative patches from other taxi drivers from either side of the Green Line as well as unlicensed ‘pirates’.