Dublin’s already-busy holiday travel season looked set for bedlam next week, but a late-night climb-down by Taxi Drivers Ireland (TDI) has given passengers breathing room.
The group had planned a six-day rolling protest from 8–13 December, including rush-hour ‘go-slow’ convoys on all approach roads to Dublin Airport and daytime sit-downs around Government Buildings. Drivers say Uber’s new option that lets passengers accept a pre-agreed fixed fare undermines the regulated metre system and can leave them earning “up to a third less” per journey.
![Dublin taxi drivers pause six-day protest over Uber fixed fares, easing threat of airport disruption]()
After a tense two-hour meeting on 5 December with junior transport officials, TDI announced it would “suspend industrial action in good faith” pending talks with Transport Minister Eamon Ryan and the National Transport Authority early next week. Should talks collapse, organisers warned they are “fully prepared” to reactivate the protest plan at 24-hours’ notice.
For aviation stakeholders, the pause is a relief. Dublin Airport handled more than 120,000 passengers daily during last year’s Christmas peak; previous go-slow protests lengthened the drive from the M50 to the terminals from 10 minutes to over an hour. Airlines had already drafted contingency plans, including urging travellers to use public transport and arrive earlier.
Business-travel managers should monitor the outcome of next week’s negotiations. If Uber keeps the fixed-fare option unchanged and drivers resume action, mobility programmes may need to pre-book private transfers or build in additional journey time for assignees flying via Dublin.
The group had planned a six-day rolling protest from 8–13 December, including rush-hour ‘go-slow’ convoys on all approach roads to Dublin Airport and daytime sit-downs around Government Buildings. Drivers say Uber’s new option that lets passengers accept a pre-agreed fixed fare undermines the regulated metre system and can leave them earning “up to a third less” per journey.
After a tense two-hour meeting on 5 December with junior transport officials, TDI announced it would “suspend industrial action in good faith” pending talks with Transport Minister Eamon Ryan and the National Transport Authority early next week. Should talks collapse, organisers warned they are “fully prepared” to reactivate the protest plan at 24-hours’ notice.
For aviation stakeholders, the pause is a relief. Dublin Airport handled more than 120,000 passengers daily during last year’s Christmas peak; previous go-slow protests lengthened the drive from the M50 to the terminals from 10 minutes to over an hour. Airlines had already drafted contingency plans, including urging travellers to use public transport and arrive earlier.
Business-travel managers should monitor the outcome of next week’s negotiations. If Uber keeps the fixed-fare option unchanged and drivers resume action, mobility programmes may need to pre-book private transfers or build in additional journey time for assignees flying via Dublin.
