The driver of a minibus who was filmed getting into a fight with a group of German tourists in Arenal has given his account of what happened and has expressed his anger at those who have described him as a 'pirate operator'. The fight wasn't about non-payment; his keys had been stolen.
"I am not a 'pirate' driver. I have a legally constituted company and I had a contracted service," says Paco in reference to the incident. "I wish to make it very clear that there was a prior contract with a group of Germans by which we had agreed on the price from Son Sant Joan Airport to their hotel in Arenal (Llucmajor). The service was completely correct and I even took photos with them at the airport."
The problem, he explains, arose when he was going to take them back to the airport. "They were under the influence of alcohol or other things. Their behaviour was very aggressive, so I refused to take them back to the airport. At that moment, they took the keys and ran off. In the video you can see when I go after them to try to get my keys back. My minibus keys were stolen and I had no choice but to try to get them back. There are witnesses to everything I say. A problem is that conventional taxi drivers should have helped one of their colleagues rather than recording and then posting videos. I have a minibus company and I am sick of being called a 'pirate'."
Paco adds that he filed a 'denuncia' against the tourists. A lawyer for the German tourists was soon in touch with him and asked him to withdraw the complaint, as these were young people who intended to return to Mallorca and didn't want trouble.