DFDS emails customers about cancellations and sailing time changes

DFDS has emailed customers about cancellations to some ferry bookings and warned the times of others will change.

All Sunday sailings between Portsmouth and Jersey are affected.

The message to passengers says the company is standardising departure times following discussions with the freight and tourism sectors.

The changes and cancellations were announced at a Chamber of Commerce Lunch on Wednesday (12 March), before an email was sent informing customers the following morning.

Channel 103 understands the alterations to sailing times will mainly affect the Stena Vinga to and from Portsmouth and trips to St-Malo.

Chris Parker, DFDS Route Director, told business leaders that changes to St Malo are 'not that significant' and sailings are is 'moving a few minutes here and there'.

He said: "Stena Viga - we've changed the schedule quite a lot in response to the needs of the island from a freight perspective.

"We've standardised arrival and departure times and we will be communicating (this) with passengers."

Pushed by Channel 103 today a spokesperson described the amendments as 'minor', adding that they have 'been kept to within an hour of the original departure time' where possible.

"We are in the process of contacting all affected customers offering them the opportunity to move their booking to another date free of charge, or offering them a full refund should they choose to cancel.

“We do not anticipate making regular amendments to our schedules, but our priority is to implement a service that is both reliable and robust, and one which best serves the requirements of the wider community.”

The new operator, which takes over from Condor Ferries, in just over a fortnight's time, said when it published its timetables in January that it would continue to review and refine them in response to feedback.

Chris Parker

Bosses of Jersey's incoming ferry operator also told the lunch event that it is launching St Malo day-trip tickets by 'mid-next week'.

It comes as islanders worry they will not have as long in the French town, compared to the Condor sailings.

Mr Parker tried to quash some of the concerns about day trip timings.

"You have 30 days where it is possible to do a day-trip for more than five hours.  There are a further 30 days in which it's possible to do a day-trip of four plus hours.

"We want to make sure we can deliver a schedule and we will find that, as we go forward, I do think there will be more opportunities."

 The Tarifa Jet will operate the Jersey-St Malo route.

Mr Parker says the company plans to introduce more rewards for Jersey residents and is exploring frequent travel schemes.

One regular ferry-user who attended the lunch told the DFDS bosses he wishes the government has never picked it.

"You seem to be charging 30% more than Condor did.

"What I see at the moment is very depressing."

Others were more positive:

"They are a big, big ferry company.  It is what they do, so it should be fine for Jersey.

"I think the collaboration has been excellent.  I am enthusiastic about the future."

DFDS Vice President Filip Hermann says every change is difficult.

"We really appreciate the partnership with Jersey, we want to be part of the local community."

Chamber of Commerce CEO Murray Norton said:

"We all need to be confident.  It has to work. They are an experienced company.

They know how to operate the ferry company better than anyone else, and certainly better than some of the keyboard-warriors that we have seen."

Mr Hermann said port trials would take place in the week before DFDS begins operations and insisted 'we will be ready on 28 March'.

The firm is still working with the government on its inter-islands offering, but told Channel 103 it expected to match what Brittany Ferries is doing in Guernsey, which is crossings to Jersey one day a week.