Hovertravel has been forced to suspend all services between the Isle of Wight and the mainland this afternoon (Friday) after its only available hovercraft developed a technical issue – just 4 days after the company’s other craft was withdrawn for a major refurbishment programme.
The cross-Solent operator has confirmed that services between Ryde and Southsea are cancelled, with passengers being redirected to Wightlink’s FastCat service.
The disruption comes after Solent Flyer was taken out of service on Monday to undergo an extensive upgrade programme, leaving Island Flyer as the sole operational craft in Hovertravel’s fleet.
However, with Island Flyer now affected by a technical problem, the company has been left without an available hovercraft to operate its scheduled passenger crossings.
Solent Flyer is currently undergoing a major refurbishment at Griffon Marine’s specialist facility in Portchester, with work expected to continue until spring 2027.
The programme is intended to improve the craft’s reliability, extend its operational life and upgrade its onboard facilities.
During this period, Hovertravel had planned to maintain its Ryde-Southsea service using just Island Flyer, with a revised winter timetable designed around single-craft operations.
The company previously acknowledged that relying on 1 hovercraft would present operational challenges, but said its engineering teams would work to maintain reliability throughout the refurbishment programme.
Today’s breakdown highlights the vulnerability of operating without a second craft available to cover unexpected technical problems.
In an update to customers this afternoon, Hovertravel confirmed that services were cancelled due to a technical issue, initially advising that further information would be provided at 16:45.
A subsequent update confirmed that the cancellations would continue, with the next announcement now expected at 18:45.
Tickets are being accepted on Wightlink’s FastCat service between Ryde Pier Head and Portsmouth Harbour under Hovertravel’s disruption contingency arrangements.
Passengers are advised to check the latest service information before travelling, with further details available at www.hovertravel.co.uk/disruption-contingency.
