As thousands of visitors arrive during the peak summer season, illegal taxis at Ibiza Airport are once again taking advantage of long taxi queues, approaching stranded travellers with unauthorised ride offers while frustrated passengers attempt to negotiate lifts with private motorists.

At around 1:30 am on Saturday, the queue outside Ibiza Airport’s official taxi rank stretched for what witnesses described as an “endless” line. Travellers carrying luggage waited with no clear indication of how long it would take to reach the front.

According to several eyewitnesses, a man repeatedly walked along the queue, quietly approaching small groups and offering €50 rides to Ibiza Town. Rather than openly advertising the service, he discreetly spoke to passengers one by one, asking whether they wanted to leave immediately.

María and Lisandro, who had just landed on a flight from Madrid shortly after 1:00 am, said the man moved through the line making the same proposal to multiple travellers.

“He walked along the queue and quietly told people, ‘I’ll take you to the centre for €50’,” they recalled.

While some visitors refused the offer, others appeared willing to accept after facing what they considered an excessively long wait. Witnesses were unable to identify where the vehicle used for the alleged illegal taxi service was parked.

Passengers Offer Up to €100 to Leave the Airport

The shortage of available taxis is not only creating opportunities for unlicensed drivers. It is also leading some passengers to approach private motorists directly in an effort to leave the airport as quickly as possible.

Maria Sol, who had gone to collect friends from the express parking area, said a young woman approached her vehicle and offered €100 for a lift to Ibiza Town.

Shortly afterwards, two other young travellers offered €50 for the same journey.

“They were desperate,” she explained. “They were walking up to cars in the express car park asking whether anyone could drive them.”

Unlike the alleged pirate taxi operators, these incidents involved travellers attempting to persuade private drivers to provide transport in exchange for money after failing to find an immediate alternative.

Illegal Taxi Activity Also Reported Outside Ibiza Nightclubs

Witnesses say the problem extends well beyond the airport.

A nearly identical situation unfolded the previous Sunday outside one of Ibiza’s best-known nightclubs, where guests waiting for official taxis were reportedly approached by a young man offering private rides.

When one group asked the price for a journey to Talamanca, they were quoted €50.

Carolina, Delfina and Camila, who were waiting in the taxi queue, said the man moved discreetly from group to group repeating the same offer. The method closely resembled the approach described at the airport, with fixed prices and quiet conversations targeting people who had already been waiting for some time.

14 Illegal Taxi Drivers Reported by the Guardia Civil

The latest eyewitness accounts come as authorities continue stepping up enforcement against illegal taxi operations in Ibiza.

According to information previously released by the Guardia Civil, officers had reported 14 drivers for providing passenger transport services without the required licence as of 10 July. Vehicles used for the unauthorised services were also seized.

Investigators said both private cars and rental vehicles were being used to transport passengers in exchange for payment.

The Guardia Civil warned that these illegal transport services not only undermine licensed taxi operators but also pose potential safety risks, as passengers travel in vehicles that lack the authorisations, insurance protections and regulatory guarantees required under Spanish law. Authorities also cautioned that, in some cases, drivers involved in these activities may have links to other criminal offences.

Under current regulations, fines for operating an illegal taxi in Ibiza can exceed €15,000 when drivers are caught transporting passengers, and authorities may also confiscate the vehicle. Even offering unauthorised transport services without completing a journey can result in penalties of up to €6,000.