Red Funnel’s hi-speed Red Jet service is to be suspended from 17:00 this evening (Friday) until tomorrow morning as a result of staff shortages. This news is the latest in a long list of Red Funnel/Red Jet cancellations this week which included an oil leak on Red Jet 6 and voith propulsion and sewage system issues on the Red Eagle vehicle ferry. The last Red Jets today will be the 16:10 from Southampton and 16:45 from West Cowes. A Red Funnel spokesperson has said:
“We regret the cancellation of this evening’s Red Jet and sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused to our customers. “The situation relates to the rare instance of the unavailability of a Hi-Speed Captain and Chief Officer. Our team worked hard to explore all available alternatives, but due to legal requirements for staff rest, we were left with no option but to cancel our service tonight. “Our vehicle ferry team will be on hand to help transport customers via our Southampton to East Cowes route. Customers will also be able to show their tickets for free travel on the Cowes Floating Bridge. “Our dedicated staff will be working hard to assist and accommodate everyone affected by this situation and we sincerely appreciate our customers’ patience and kindness.”
When will this company dispense with the services of Fran and Leanna as I don’t think they could run a bath let alone a big company. At peak times they normally run 2 Red Jets yet they cannot get enough crew to run 1 today. That to me smacks of incompetency of the highest order
Since this CEO has been in place the ‘service’ has hit rock bottom.
“We apologise for any inconvenience.”
Well, that makes it OK then does it?
What a total joke.
They used to blame covid, now everyone knows it is penny pinching.
This isn’t the first time
And it wont be the last
How can there be staff shortages when only 1 ferry is running? Where are the staff from the others? Don’t they have a call out system?
Exactly! I smell bs yet again. They spout more of it than an amazon world inclosure.
Useless mp does fa but be see too promote an animal slaughter house over here.priorities !
Prob cos the trucks with animals cant get on ferry as so unreliable
What’s the big property companies saying, they must be worried about the lack of ferries to the Isle of Wight putting off prospective buyers!!
This is the end this has stop someone needs to get them sorted lies lies lies all the time dreadful service people pay thousands of pounds a year to commute where is the service ? where is the fines ? where is the compensation?THIS HAS TO STOP !!!!
Absolute disgrace!! What use is the car ferry to those who live or have cars in West Cowes?
I don’t suppose for one moment they will refund the cost difference between the Red Jet fare and car ferry fare.
Red Funnel put there prices up again on the Red Jet and then cut there service if it runs at all.
We are held to ransom by a money grabbing company who could not care less about us,the paying customers!!
This saving will be added to their charity fund, or do I mean share holders
If they let more foreign workers into the country, there’d be more people available to take these jobs.
This doesn’t make sense.
There’s two Red Jet ferries running usually, so there’s two crews available.
One ferry is already out of action, and therefore there’s an entire crew sitting, not doing anything.
And yet the second ferry can’t run because of ‘staff shortages’?
What a pathetic excuse.
Terrible company. Always has been. They have no competition so they can do what they want & when they want too. The paying customers don’t matter to them at all.