Island Echo always welcomes letters to the editor, which may of course not reflect the views of the publication and its staff.
“We are traveling to the Island this Christmas to be with my parents.
“We live in Hamburg and decided to drive because of the UK strikes at the airports, disruptions on the trains and the extortionate prices of car hire.
Article continues below this advertisement “We booked the ferry from Portsmouth to Fishbourne on 23rd December 17:00 only to receive an email today (Thursday) to say it had been changed to 04:00.
“I called Wightlink, explained our situation and said that this was not acceptable, we are travelling with 2 children, are we supposed to just wait in the car at the terminal until 04:00.
“I asked how they decide which passengers get the normal/better time ferries and do they not take into consideration people travelling with children? The man’s reply was, ” the system automatically re-allocates a time slot and the system only knows that there are 4 passengers, not if there are any children.”
“I then asked if there was a way that a red flag, could be put next to my booking number in order for us to get an earlier ferry if someone else cancelled and an earlier time became available. His reply was, “no sorry, you just have to keep calling and hopefully you’ll get something earlier.”
“A solution for now is that we will have to drive to Lymington (we are getting the Euro tunnel, so arriving in Folkestone) and get the 20:00 ferry to Yarmouth.
Article continues below this advertisement “My complaint is, why decide to do such works at the busy Christmas time and there is no offer of compensation or a voucher for future Wightlink bookings.
“The IOW ferry is so expensive and yet Wightlink’s responsibility & consideration to customers are zero! It is not acceptable and this company should not be allowed to cause such disruption at such short notice. At least the National railway and Royal mail strikes have given people notice way in advance of their actions!
Claire
Hamburg
I had my 23rd and return journey on the 27th moved – one to a different port! Wightlink don’t care and said I could cancel if I didn’t want the re-booked times. I had this booked since the beginning of October to spend Christmas with family – planned maintenance my foot! Wightlink can do what they want and give themselves a pat on the back for winning outstanding service awards and 98% on time sailings. Thank you Wightlink for yet more great customer service.
The answer is simple, Wightlink is run solely for the benefit of its shareholders. Its a company more interested in making money than providing a service to the travelling public!
I totally agree.
However, just a historical note : The Island had a once-only chance to buy their ferry company about 25 years ago and no-one bothered to even try. It could have been a win-win situation.
Even with global warming, the sea will not dry up 😉 , the Islanders were oh so short-sighted back then….
So it was a question of step up or shut up.
As nobody stepped up…..
Our 23rd booking got cancelled today too! Luckily we managed to get a red funnel booking. Awful that they are messing around with bookings over Christmas and new year, with no real apology or acceptable reason.
oh come on – you all know the real reason….
they never intended victoria of wight to undergo any maintenance and staffed the xmas rota for this boat only – now it is most likely that at least one of the staff has decided they aren’t working, have quit, off sick or some other reason and the management cannot get any one else to agree to voluntarily work an extra shift. This then means that they have to use the smaller boat, which requires less crew.
I think you have hit theail on the head.
Big boat same number of crew as little boat ooh ha ha
Claire, what about Red Funnel Southampton to East Cowes ? Too late? Much closer than Lymington…
Hi Martin, when I checked Red Funnel yesterday there were only the very late times available. I have checked again just now and one space had become available on the 6pm crossing – so I’ve booked it! For once, it must be my lucky day! But as Helen commented below – it’s at a much greater cost.
Re-nationlise Wight Link and bring back Sea Link, along with British Rail imo.
Used to work like clockwork, as memory serves ?
So much misery already for people with cost of living etc now those that had in some cases made long term plans of traveling seeing family etc maybe for first time since COVID and maybe last time can afford for a while – Wight link do this,my dept time now 7hrs later which will mean missing next connection on mainland,longer journey for kid’s etc and many will miss out as fastcat? Train strikes. Wight link should plan ahead like it’s customers and not had bookings available in 1st place. I guess it’s just so have to pay less overtime for staff over Xmas. Council should of taken over ferries when for sale,these companies are not to support communities but make millions for already well-off share holders,CEOs etc at cost to the poor. Red Fun!
I agree something should be done re a takeover. The last thing you want though is the utterly useless IWC anywhere near something as vital as a mainland transport link. Just look at the IWCs handling of the chain ferry. Imagine how they would mess up a proper ferry!!!
Had our 7pm ferry moved to 4am, no apology nothing, cancel or put up! Managed to get a sailing with Red Funnel at huge cost due to booking so late. Award winning? Absolutely not! Awful service as they know we have so few options.
I have a booking on the 23rd early morning and return same day at night found out I have been offered return on the 27th ,so obviously can’t travel now booked this in early November what a complete joke
We need to take action about the ferries and the limited times sailings/ cancellations and extortionate fares. We are at such a disadvantage already with jobs/education etc that this just makes living on the Island too expensive and so frustrating. When you call them, they are so ridged with their replies as they know you have no other option. Absolutely disgusting
I blame the useless IW MP Bob Useless Seely
He is letting Ferry Companies cripple people.
My crossing was moved from 22:00 on the 23rd to 06:00 on the 24th (Really helpful when travelling with a young child) and to Yarmouth on the return journey 8 hours after my original scheduled crossing from Fishbourne. The return journey adds 90 minutes to my journey once back on the mainland, Wightlink should reimburse for the additional fuel i have have to use.
The worst thing, i’m a pass holder, they have no respect for customers.
I can guarantee planned maintenance is code word for not having enough staff.
If our MP’s claim to be working for the island was more than empty words he’d be very visibly calling the ferry company owners to account and pushing for public service obligations to ensure a service run to meet the needs of islanders, not shareholders.
Unfortunately I doubt we will see any action at all from him once again.
Seely is useless and don’t give a ****
Do people not appreciate that Christmas travel is always prone to disruption what with adverse weather and traffic jams. Has anybody not learned anything from Covid?What with virulent strep pathogens circulating, you should all be using Zoom for your family gatherings. Limited sympathy i am afraid.
Bob Selley absolutely useless. He has never backed up the islanders over the ferries, neither did the one he took over from.
This is clearly not the case and despite you having limited empathy as you may have read people have booked well in advance so not their fault. If you took a few minutes to consider what people are saying is that these companies put profit before people. They have the monopoly so make the rules up as they go along. The island is held to ransom by these modern day sheriffs of Nottingham and its about time we had a Robin Hood. Power to the people.
We have formed a Facebook group called Wightlink Users, we have over 800 members, many of whom who have experiences this trauma of the 23/24th December. Collectively, we feel we have a voice and may have the ability to express our unrest and change how we are treated. Please join us.
So long as they get your money they don’t care what happens after. Why do you not realise that’s why we call them sh###link.