Ferry operator Brittany Ferries has suspended more passenger services between the 海角视频 and France and will only be providing a “lifeline” service for people who need to get home from Spain as the coronavirus crisis intensifies.
The company has announced that once the next sailings from France to Plymouth and Portsmouth arrive in the 海角视频 the ships will stay in port with no firm date for them to return to sea.
Ships serving routes connecting Spain with the 海角视频 will continue to sail. However, they will only carry passengers who must return home, therefore offering a lifeline-only service for British and Spanish for whom travel is essential. Freight will continue to be carried as normal.
The company has scrapped all sailings of the Armorique from Plymouth to Roscoff until March 26 “at least” after the ship leaves the French port at 3pm on Wednesday, March 18, bound for Plymouth.
Its Cherbourg to Poole service, on Barfleur, has also been scrapped, until March 23 at least, after the ship leaves France on March 16 at 9.45pm.
The St Malo to Portsmouth service is also affected with the Bretagne not seabound until March 24 at least, once it departs St Malo on Tuesday, March 17 at 8.30 pm.
The company said the cancellations are in response to changing government policy in France, Spain and Ireland, and to protect all passengers and crewmembers “at this difficult time”.
The firm stressed the decision “has not been taken lightly, but has been taken in the best interest of all”.
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However, “as things stand”, sailings between Portsmouth and Caen on Mont St Michel and Normandie will continue as normal, for passengers and for freight, the company said.
Brittany Ferries will cease its weekly rotation connecting Roscoff in France with Rosslare in Ireland. Kerry will however continue two rotations per week, carrying freight between Rosslare and Bilbao in Spain.
The company said it is “systematically contacting” all affected customers by telephone, email and SMS but added: “There is enormous pressure on our contact centre staff.
“The speed of response may not be up to its usual standard for which Brittany Ferries apologises in advance.”
Brittany Ferries has already said the Pont-Aven will not return to service, after being in dry-dock in Poland, as planned on March 17, until "at least” April 9.
It means no sailings between Plymouth, Portsmouth and Cork and Roscoff in France and Santander in Spain.
Brittany Ferries has already withdrawn the Eretat from service, after it arrives in Le Havre from Portsmouth on March 17.
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And the freight-only service, on the Pelican, from Bilboa in Spain and Poole in Dorset, will only take “unaccompanied trailers”, without drivers, from now on.
The company added: “Brittany Ferries very much regrets the effect that this ongoing disruption will have on customers.
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“Directors will continue to monitor the situation with a view to resuming normal service as soon as the situation allows.
“We respectfully ask all customers who are not booked to travel within the next two weeks to delay contacting our customer call centres.
“In addition, normal two-way interaction via social media may not be possible due to the volume of enquiries and availability of staff. Brittany Ferries apologises in advance for delays in usual response times.”
Passengers are being asked not to contact Brittany Ferries by telephone but to visit the for the latest information.