FERRY travellers are facing disruption in the coming weeks after French port workers announced a series of strikes ahead of the Paris Olympics.
All French ports are planning to stage the mass walk-out across ten days in June, which the Union of Transport and Logistics is holding in response to a dispute over pension and labour issues. According to a French news website, port workers are set to strike on 2, 6, 10, 12, 14, 18, 20, 24, 26 and 28 June.
Condor Ferries has “regrettably” cancelled Friday’s high-speed sailing between St Malo and Guernsey from 11am to 3pm – the JEP understands that more cancellations may follow.
And French air traffic control strikes could result in some flight delays “due to re-routing of traffic through UK airspace”, Ports of Jersey said yesterday.
The news comes as Blue Islands is currently operating with 60% of their fleet, hampering their “usual levels of resilience” following “a hugely challenging set of circumstances” which saw three out of their five planes temporarily grounded at the weekend.
The resulting disruption to flights, including cancellations on the Birmingham route earlier this week, sparked complaints on social media, with some saying that they were “never booking Blue Islands again”.
In a statement released yesterday, a Condor spokesperson said: “We have been notified that due to strike action in France scheduled for Friday 31 May, from 11am to 3pm, which affects non-Condor port staff, our high-speed service between St Malo and Guernsey has regrettably been cancelled.
“Passengers affected have been proactively transferred onto alternative sailings and notified accordingly.
“We are monitoring other dates identified by the Fédération Nationale des Ports et Docks for potential action over the next month and will make further changes as required. The disruption is regrettable and caused by circumstances entirely beyond our control.”
Meanwhile, Blue Islands said that a shortage of parts across the globe had “significantly delayed” maintenance works.
An airline spokesperson said: “A hugely challenging set of circumstances over the last weekend regrettably led to the disruption of several Blue Islands flights.
“Although these circumstances were beyond our control, Blue Islands wishes to offer its sincere apologies to those customers whose journeys were affected.
“The global aviation community is currently experiencing a shortage of some parts which is significantly delaying our, and other operators’, release of aircraft from scheduled maintenance and our ability to quickly resolve some unforeseen technical issues.”
The statement explained that of the five aircraft in their fleet, one was out of Jersey for scheduled maintenance, which had “affected usual levels of resilience”.
It added: “On Saturday, we encountered unforeseen technical issues on two aircraft (one resolved later in the day). A lightning strike on another aircraft on Sunday led to the operating fleet reducing temporarily to two aircraft.
“Aircraft are designed to withstand lightning but must be fully inspected after such an event, and the inspection resulted in findings to be remedied prior to the aircraft’s return to service.”
Three aircraft were back up and running on Monday, the statement added, but there was “knock-on disruption” to contend with.
“We recognise that flight disruption is always unwelcome, yet at the same time, we trust everyone will understand that safety will always be our first priority,” it continued.
“We can only return an aircraft to service after a lightning strike once all required safety checks and tasks have been fully completed and double-checked again.
“Blue Islands complies with all regulatory compensation requirements, including provision of hotel accommodation where appropriate for flights departing from airports in Europe and the UK.”
One Islander who wrote to the JEP said they were “never booking Blue Islands again” and added: “Blue Islands keep cancelling the Birmingham flights and are hiding behind the ‘we don’t have to give compensation’ line.
“My daughter is trying to get home and has had two days of flights cancelled and now two nights in an airport hotel.”
Another Islander displeased with the disruption wrote on social media: “They have too few aircraft which are ageing, stretched over ever increasing routes.
“Both myself, other family members and friends have been subject to cancellations or delays over recent weeks. The crew on recently delayed flight looked exhausted.”
