P&O Ferries suspends all passenger operations on route Dover-Calais over Easter bank holiday weekend causing further disruptions for travelers from the UK.
Two of eight ships of the beleaguered ferry company – Pride of Kent and Spirit of United Kingdom – still being held by the Maritime and Coast Guard Agency (MCA). over safety fears as a result in shortage of ferries on a key route in in run-up in busy travel period.
The company confirmed in tweet about it canceling all channel crossings over Easter weekend.
#PODover #POCalais for travel from 00:01 April 15 to 23:59 April 18 we will provide full take back the money of your ticket. We will also to pay back difference in cost between your P&O ferries ticket and yours new booking with another operator. Claims should be sent to help@poferries.com 2/2
— P&O Ferries Updates (@POferriesupdate) April 13, 2022
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#PODover #POCalais for travel from 00:01 April 15 to 23:59 April 18 we will provide full take back the money of your ticket. We will also to pay back difference in cost between your P&O ferries ticket and yours new booking with another operator. Claims should be sent to help@poferries.com 2/2
— P&O Ferries Updates (@POferriesupdate) April 13, 2022
This is adds to the wider chaos of travel in UK, where staff shortages have led to flight cancellations and long waits at airports. Meanwhile, train passengers have been warned. of delays on the part of Network Rail, which carries out 530 engineering upgrades on routes including on west coast highway from London Euston to Milton Keynes.
AA estimates 27.6 million. car travel can take place over weekend. Motorists are advised to travel on Thursday or early on Saturday if they can give themselves best chance of avoid long queues.
Edmund King, President of AA, said: “All our polls indicate that Good Friday will be the busiest day of rest. for Easter trips and holidays. If some drivers you can leave on Thursday or early Saturday, they might miss some of jams.
While the Department of Transport urged vacationers to plan ahead and allow additional time for trips, there were long queues already formation near the port of Dover on Thursday morning. Transport minister Robert Corts, said his department is “working closely with operators to minimize interference.”
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P&O planned to restart cross-border service between Dover and Calais. for Easter weekend but MCA said on On Wednesday, it will not release the two vessels until the agency is satisfied that they can “comply with the demand.” of port state control regime and are safe for going to sea”.
Agency that inspects all eight of P&O Ferries ships, first detained Pride of Kent on March 28 after failed inspection and said on Wednesday what he had found additional shortcomings after the revaluation.
Spirit of The UK was delayed this week, exacerbating problems for company under fire for dismissal of all 800 of his UK work force and their replacement with cheaper foreign agency workers in March.
