Taxi drivers' protest to disrupt Paris airport traffic Monday
Travellers to Paris on Monday may face a long journey into the city. Striking taxi-drivers are planning to disrupt traffic in protest at what they see as unfair competition from new operators known as tourism vehicles with drivers.
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As many as 5,000 taxi drivers planned to start blockading roads at Charles De Gaulle and Orly airports at 6.00am and head for the Invalides esplanade in central Paris.
They were to stage a road go-slow and strike in protest at a government decision to end their monopoly on cab services in the capital.
A decree in December allowed operators, including US-based Uber, to offer cars on condition that there is a 15-minute delay between ordering the cab and its arrival.
The protesters, who call the newcomers "multinationals", are also angry about a hike of VAT on transport from seven per cent to 10 per cent.
The government's decision has upset the new operators, too.
They are contesting the obligatory delay in court.
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