The conflict started at Easter. | Miquel À. Cañellas

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At the Friday meeting between the president of the Mallorca Taxi Association, Biel Moragues, and Juan Gorreta, president of the association for minibuses, agreement was reached which both sides hope will end confrontations at Palma Son Sant Joan Airport involving taxi drivers and so-called pirate operators.

They agreed to a trial period, starting on Saturday, by which the minibuses will not take fewer than five passengers; the taxi maximum is four. Moragues said that the minibuses will, from now on, focus on groups of five to nineteen passengers. The principles of the agreement, he added, will be conveyed to the Balearic government and to the Aena airports authority, so that they know "that there is a will to avoid confrontations".

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He went on to explain that "there will be no customer acquisition or an image of saturation in the arrivals area", though it is unclear how the minibus drivers will operate. Goretta has previously said that they are looking for an "information point", which implies some form of stand in the airport. Aena would have to agree to this and to make it available.

Moragues continued: "We hope that the tension will decrease. There can't continue to be a Third World image at the airport." He emphasised that the principles of the agreement do not mean that "the actions of pirates at the airport will end, but a great step towards this has been taken".

Gorreta's association includes 60 companies, 110 vehicles and 220 workers. It is holding talks with the Confederation of Balearic Business Associations with a view to becoming a member.