P&O Ferries has reportedly cancelled all passenger ferry services to and from the UK this weekend.
The company, which knowingly broke the law last month by not consulting with unions about its plans to peremptorily sack 800 of its staff and replace them with contract workers earning less than the UK minimum wage, told customers who had booked a place on a P&O ferry to “re-book directly with another operator before arriving at the port."
#POLarne #POCairnryan Services remain suspended. It is no longer possible for us to arrange travel via an alternative operator on this route. For essential travel, customers are advised to seek alternatives themselves,
— P&O Ferries Updates (@POferriesupdate) April 8, 2022
P&O has previously made arrangements for rival DFDS to take P&O ticket holders while P&O’s vessels were out of operation but DFDS said it has not got the capacity to take on the P&O passengers this weekend and decided to focus on its own passengers.
#PODover #POCalais 08/04 00:01 - 10/04 23:59 All P&O Ferries Passenger Services are suspended this weekend. For travel 8/9/10th April please re-book directly with another operator before arriving at the port. DFDS will not be able to transfer P&O customers onto their services.;
— P&O Ferries Updates (@POferriesupdate) April 8, 2022
DFDS director of capacity, Chris Parker, said travellers should not turn up at the port unless they have booked a ticket in advance.
“We cannot take a full load of our own passengers and then have more passengers from P&O, we simply don't have the capacity,” Parker said.