Cross-Solent travel operator Wightlink has apologised to customers travelling on its vehicle ferry service this Christmas weekend after they saw their bookings changed unexpectedly earlier this week.
The decision comes as a result of winter maintenance work being carried out on Victoria of Wight.
1 disgruntled customer saw their sailing on Friday 23rd December that was booked for 10:00 changed to 18:00 on the same day, forcing them to effectively lose 1 day of time spent with their family on the mainland.
A smaller vessel, St Faith will be in use instead, meaning fewer passenger numbers can be accommodated on each sailing.
Despite this, many still wonder why would the cross-Solent operator conduct winter maintenance so close to Christmas.
In a statement released to Island Echo, Wightlink has said:
“Our winter maintenance programme involves bringing vessels in and out of service depending on the work required and facilities needed ashore. As some ships are significantly larger than others this means that occasionally we will need to move bookings if we make any changes to our maintenance plan.
“In this instance we have decided it was essential to take Victoria of Wight out of service for engine maintenance replacing her with St Faith which is a much smaller ferry.
Article continues below this advertisement “We have tried to minimise the impact on customers and apologise for the inconvenience caused.
“If the alternative dates are not convenient, customers can call our contact centre and they will do their best to assist. Alternatively customers can rebook to another date without charge or request a full refund.”
Not just this weekend. We have been ‘bumped off’ to a much later ferry next week wrecking our long made travel plans – yet the booking was made many weeks ago for that reason, to allow us to plan.
So in what way does Wightlink decide who stays on a sailing and who loses their place? Nothing to do with the date of booking obviously. We’d like an explanation.
Time for that fixed link. If you dont like the idea, you can always leave.
Sad but true. If the ferry companies offered a real service would never be needed. But they don’t. The island has no choice.
And you have the choice to move to the mainland if you don’t like being on an island
You leave and spare us your moaning
There will always be an argument around a fixed link, the vast majority will not want one! A considerable amount of people like the Island because its an Island, Just when will this Island receive a reliable, honest service that works for this Island and it’s people?
Ferry operators are vastly working for profit and share holders, as such they have guaranteed Island people who are at their mercy for supplies and services, its a very sad situation that everyone has to do as they are told ( like it or lump it and accept it ) because no one is interested in the needs of Island people. Profit first people second, that’s why some people turn on each other over a fixed link.
Council and MP take note!
The Island held to ransom again by the Ferry’s.
What a thing to do to people who are planning time with family after everything this country and everywhere else has gone through since 2020.
All the cross Solent companies are using the same reason.
The “maintenance staff” are quite obviously not competent.
We all know this is a money saving exercise if the Ferries and Reds are not full, they come up with the reason of a maintenance problem.
Just build a bridge and let this Island be free from this.
Seriously ill people, people needing treatments, people with onward connections, Jobs to get to, family to attend to etc, etc, They are stressed enough without this.
Happy Christmas one and all.
And you get a lorry breakdown or a serious accident in the middle of the bridge, then what?
Usual retired, move to the island and realise it’s sometimes difficult to travel off and want a bridge, can you imagine the hours spent queuing on the roads just to get on a bridge, we have more houses every year and no road infrastructure to support it let alone a load more retirees racing for a bridge.
Oi, I’m retired and I resent that. I retired here fully knowing that we would be at the mercy of the ferry companies. Buying a multilink pass a coupe of times has meant that I don’t get robbed MORE at peak times. No one would queue for hours on a bridge for many many years. Least of all me. I would wait and pick my time. But I’m realistic. It isn’t going to happen in my lifetime. Think of the revolt from RF & WL shareholders…
Another alias?
Once again a so called service not fit for purpose. Disgusting way to treat the traveling, paying public. Pathetic!
If this is a case of mechanical problems needing urgent attention then Wightlink has probably done the best they can in a difficult situation. However, the stated “winter maintenance programme” strongly implies a planned strategy here? That being the case we are seeing a clear case of operational incompetence leading to peoples Christmas travel plans being ruined! Seems to be a case of bah humbug from Wightlink management?
If it’s planned maintenance (or “maintenence” as IE spells it), why were the vessels scheduled to run?
It’s outrageous. A planned = staff shortage. B why not plan it for a week later or a week earlier ? People have had their holiday plans ( made long ago) ruined . I don’t accept it’s a planned maintennance.That’s just complete bullsh**. What is the real reason ???
What’s that smell can you smell it ah yes it’s bulls..t
This is the company that has just won an award WTF
An apology implies that they are sorry, but are they really? Seems not given the extremely high prices passengers have to pay. If they were really sorry they would give those affected a 50 per cent refund. It would still be an expensive crossing but at least it would show some level of contrition on Wightlinks part!
We wondered if they are overselling a sailing to ensure income, then re-siting some customers to fill capacity on other times or routes.
We also wondered whether those that are ‘bumped off’ a particular sailing tend to be Island residents like ourselves who have bought Multilink ticket books?
Wightlink already have that income in their bank, so by removing Multilink bookings from a popular but full sailing they could then resell the spaces to one off bookings, charging and earning much more for them. It’s likely they know most of their Multilink customers have no choice but to accept rearranging their trip.
Would a Wightlink representative tell the Island Echo how travellers are chosen to be taken off a particular sailing?
No Wightlink do not just pick islanders with (or without) multilink tickets to bump off sailings.
And it’s not a conspiracy by North Korea to spoil our Xmas.
(Rolling eye emoji)
I’m a multilink holder and I think you have hit the nail on the head. Bump us and re sell the space at market rate, i.e. massively overpriced to fleece those that can’t afford a multilink pass. 🙁
Have you thought about making a Freedom of Information request? Or possibly contacting the Which? Consumer organisation – there Researchers might take it on to investigate (they have the clout to do a more in-depth analysis of pricing structure and ticket sales) …. Just a thought, something definitely doesn’t smell right and I feel very sorry for everyone affected.
I have been charged extra after my return ferry was moved to a later one, only to find an earlier ferry was available, but cost an extra £35…. not a very merry start to the festive season.
Would Wightlink inform us as to who is doing this maintainance work, where it is taking place and why it could not wait until early January.No thought for customers whatsoever.
I had a booking from Fishbourne at 11.00 on 23rd December returning from Portsmouth at 17.00 the same day so I could go and collect for Christmas a relation who cannot drive because of an injury. I have just been notified by Sh***link that my return journey has been changed to 04.00 on the same day. In other words my return journey is now 7 hours before my outward trip! Incompetent does not even begin to describe this appalling company. Like Wat and others on here I am a multilink pass holder so I suspect my booking has been changed so my space can be taken by someone who can be charged a higher fee.
Me too … I was booked to go over and collect relatives (using day return so not just multilink tickets getting bumped) but have now been rebooked outward so I arrived at 13:45 to catch the 14:00 back! They are either lying or just incompetent, what else can it be? Shame Isle of Wight radio don’t pick up on this, they’re quick enough to give others a good kicking when their Sky masters tell them to.
Our sons booking has been cancelled from the friday evening to 6.00am that same day. If he could have travelled earlier he would have been on an earlier ferry. Surely you do not reschedule before your original timings. Absolute disgrace. They know full well people will be travelling to and from the island. Why not do it in between the Xmas and New Year break.
The Council should take over the Ferry Companies and run a 24 Hour Service.
7 days a week.
Prices do not need to be that expensive
£20 for a return crossing is too much, charge a bit more for Lorries and Coaches.
I have no idea where all the money being made by these Ferry Companies is going, someone is creaming it off.
Most expensive crossing in the World, but WHY!
Well they are making such a good job of the floating bridge so why not … hic!
Bumped from 10.00am to 6:20 am from another port. Now spend over an hour for somebody to answer a call/chat. Are they so poorly managed that they would not understand an impact on calls for messing up peoples festive travel plans. Head in sand management
Current MP could be in post for life, if he sorted out this constantly deteriorating ‘service’ from Wightlink.