The Professional Taxi Drivers’ Organisation of Larnaca (Poat) announced a four-hour work stoppage for Tuesday, 13 January, running from 07:00 to 11:00. Union leaders say repeated meetings with the Transport Ministry have failed to curb what they describe as “unlicensed ride-hailing operators” at Larnaca International Airport, leaving legitimate drivers facing “a question of pure professional survival”.([cyprus-mail.com](https://cyprus-mail.com/2026/01/09/larnaca-taxi-drivers-to-stage-four-hour-strike))
If authorities do not intervene, Poat will escalate to a 24-hour strike on 20 January and an open-ended walk-out from 28 January. The prospect of rolling industrial action at Cyprus’s busiest airport has already prompted some airlines to issue travel advisories urging passengers to pre-book transfers or use inter-city bus services.
While the immediate concern is getting from the arrivals hall to the hotel, travellers should also ensure their paperwork is in order before touchdown. VisaHQ’s Cyprus page (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/) provides a handy visa eligibility checker and expedited application support, allowing both leisure visitors and corporate mobility managers to sidestep last-minute border complications that could otherwise magnify transport delays.
![Larnaca taxi union calls 13 January stoppage, threatens 24-hour and indefinite strikes]()
For global mobility managers the immediate impact is ground-transport risk during peak winter-sun travel. Corporate travellers with tight meeting schedules may need to switch to private shuttles or ride-sharing apps registered outside the strike zone – ironically the very services taxi drivers want banned. Employers should advise travellers to allow extra time for security checks if walking off airport property to reach alternative pick-up points.
Cyprus’s taxi sector has faced intense competition since the liberalisation of app-based services in 2023. Previous strikes were called off after the ministry promised stricter enforcement of airport permits, but drivers claim on-the-spot checks have dwindled. The dispute will test the government’s ability to balance competition with orderly airport operations during the EU-Presidency period.
Travel-risk consultants suggest updating country-level contingency plans to include pre-arranged transport, especially for staff arriving on early-morning flights during the strike window. Companies operating duty-free shops and catering concessions inside the terminal are also bracing for potential staff shortages if local employees struggle to reach work.
If authorities do not intervene, Poat will escalate to a 24-hour strike on 20 January and an open-ended walk-out from 28 January. The prospect of rolling industrial action at Cyprus’s busiest airport has already prompted some airlines to issue travel advisories urging passengers to pre-book transfers or use inter-city bus services.
While the immediate concern is getting from the arrivals hall to the hotel, travellers should also ensure their paperwork is in order before touchdown. VisaHQ’s Cyprus page (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/) provides a handy visa eligibility checker and expedited application support, allowing both leisure visitors and corporate mobility managers to sidestep last-minute border complications that could otherwise magnify transport delays.
For global mobility managers the immediate impact is ground-transport risk during peak winter-sun travel. Corporate travellers with tight meeting schedules may need to switch to private shuttles or ride-sharing apps registered outside the strike zone – ironically the very services taxi drivers want banned. Employers should advise travellers to allow extra time for security checks if walking off airport property to reach alternative pick-up points.
Cyprus’s taxi sector has faced intense competition since the liberalisation of app-based services in 2023. Previous strikes were called off after the ministry promised stricter enforcement of airport permits, but drivers claim on-the-spot checks have dwindled. The dispute will test the government’s ability to balance competition with orderly airport operations during the EU-Presidency period.
Travel-risk consultants suggest updating country-level contingency plans to include pre-arranged transport, especially for staff arriving on early-morning flights during the strike window. Companies operating duty-free shops and catering concessions inside the terminal are also bracing for potential staff shortages if local employees struggle to reach work.
