Those travelling across the Solent with Wightlink this morning (Monday) are facing significant disruption and delay due to the absence of a staff member.
The cross-Solent operator emailed customers at 06:30 to advise that the 06:40 sailing from Portsmouth and the 07:40 from Fishbourne had been cancelled due to the absence of an ‘essential crew member’.
It appears the 08:40 from Fishbourne has also been cancelled With customers being transferred to the next available sailing.
Now, Wightlink are advising of 1 hour delays across all sailings on its Fishbourne-Portsmouth route – at one of the busiest times of the year.
Wightlink says that they have been unable to source short notice cover for the absent members of staff and so have taken this action as a last resort.
UPDATE @ 08:56 – Wightlink says that cover has now been sourced and services are back running to timetable.
How long are we going to tolerate this ?
And we pay a fortune for this.
dont they have a standby crew , years ago production would never be stoped over staff shortage ,
Because of 1 selfish person. Knowing that he was the only crew member that day. I’ve had to turn up to work many a times unwell because there was no cover Sack the whole lot of them and employ the Philippines.
Nonsense. It’s the responsibility of the employer to make sure there’s cover. No one should be forced to come to work when I’ll or injured.
we do not know the real reason for cancellation of ferrys , this is hard to prove . and very easy for ferry company to remove a sailing due to lack of custom and a faliure to fill up the ferry,there should always be a standby crew in the event of an ilness or an injury .
really – that staff member may be seriously ill and you call them selfish – you need to take a look in the mirror hawkins
“that staff member may be seriously ill”,.. or it may just be a monday hangover…
Probably too many beers last night, regular Monday morning absences.
Still should have a replacement.
Leave the kids alone you strange human being
No Comment, what’s the point, every day is the same!
Thanks Wightlink, I now have a family of 4 adults (one disabled) and 3 kids all packed and just about to set off for Fishbourne after their holiday. You have now made their day total hell….
and you think that mentioning one being disabled somehow elevates your whining to a higher plateau does it. If you believe in equality, then you would simply have said 4 adults, 3 kids and nothing else.
Get a grip moron.
They had booked priority boarding along with disabled access on the ferry. If it all went to ‘hit then that would have gone with it, so yes, it was relevant to mention it.
nope – truthsout – if they want equality, then stop rolling out the disabled card, thinking it will mean the red carpet for them
Total hell?! Bit dramatic. Slight inconvenience would have covered it
Where is Ive searle and the comment to tarmac it and run it with electric buses? They just like to troll the railway
Gabion cages would of solved the staffing issues
more likely to fix the management issues
( they couldn’t be any worse at it)
It’s time Dick Seely raised this in parliament with Dick Gove. After all its the party they represent who allowed this route to be privatised!!!
Just imagine if our council were responsible for the ferry routes? Can’t even get across the Medina!
The Island deserves better, the ferries are ludicrously expensive and hideously unreliable!
I’m struggling to understand how an organisation monopolises this stretch of water doesn’t have a Business Continuity Plan.
I would expect this employer to have critical staff on stand-by if a staff member is unwell.
Will Wightlink refund part of the cost to its passengers who had booked in advance?
you do realise that extra critical staff must be hired, if you want a standby roster. Existing staff are not legally obliged to crew the boat, with less than a specific amount of time between shifts and may I point out that their own time is just that, their own time, not the company’s.
if you hire more staff, means more wages, means more money needed to pay staff – you will see ticket prices go even higher to cover additional wages.
I must confess though as I am a bit biased as a shareholder of Wighlink and my Mum works for them
well there you go,..
in a nut shell…
Greedy shareholders,.. don’t want the provision of a reliable (affordable) service to make any dent in their dividends
“more staff, means more wages, means more money… ticket prices go even higher to cover additional wages.”
Why??
they make so much money from us,,..the cost of some back-up ‘retained’ staf, to cover this sort of eventuality, wouldn’t even scratch their profits…
Wightlink 100% Unreliable .. ..
A bridge or Tunnel would solve these problems.
Totally agree and then you may not get these people wingeing about disabled people having priority on the ferry/
Website says ferrys to Fishbourne running on time ,ive just got on in Portsmouth and ferry left 20 minutes late.Terrible.
Dont understand why they cannot update their live status.
Oh woopie doo..
A whole 20 minutes late…
On average performance .. that is on time…,.
The essential ‘absent’ crew member must have been Captain Birdseye!
Can you believe this…..the busiest time of the year and the company that own Wightlink don’t have adequate staff to cover absences. Terrible. This service used to be brilliant years ago when it was run and owned by different operators. Affordable, sensible prices and always left on time and never any cancellations. Now, extortionate prices and very unreliable.
I’m going home now I have a few more minutes before my appointment and I can give it a go and then I’ll call the doctor if you need anything let us now I will be there at two forty eight so we will see what time you want us to come over to get her so I don’t forget you about your car payment I have an issue that I have to pay for my car payment and I have to have a new car payment so I can pay my car payment on my car payment so I can have the money to get the money for the month before my house and I have a new vehicle payments on the first of the month of August so if I get it will be the same amount of others will have the car pay it off the second month and I can get it back to the same thing so you have the same car insurance
I’m going home now I have to go to the store and get some stuff for the kids and then I have a meeting with the girls so I’m just a bit in a bit I’ll call when I’m on the road and then I will text you and I’ll text you when I’m on my way to you love y all have an a good day talk later when you get up and see you soon I miss y all love y all and I love you guys so very bye love y all very bye for now love all you all very happy for y you all love y love y love y hope to you guys I will be back soon I will see y all bye for you all bye for the next few weeks I will talk later love all the time I hopefully I’ll talk soon bye love you guys love y love all the love to y love y all good luck love you all bye love you all have a wonderful weekend