Condor Ferries is waiving amendment fees for existing bookings and will move the Commodore Clipper to a purely freight only service as of Monday 16 March.
All reservations for sailings with Condor up to 30 April 2020 can be deferred to 31 March 2021 without a fee, though a fare difference may apply.
The Clipper and Commodore Goodwill will operate from Portsmouth to Guernsey and Jersey with unaccompanied freight only for the next four weeks. Passengers and their vehicles booked on the Clipper over this period will be switched to Poole.
The move to a purely freight service aims to minimise the effects of the coronavirus outbreak and ensure continuity of the supply chain to the islands.
‘These are unprecedented times for our industry, so we are taking prudent measures to ensure lifeline freight services to the Islands are maintained. It is crucial that all the right steps are taken and we are in direct and detailed dialogue with both the States of Guernsey and States of Jersey on this,’ said Condor CEO Paul Luxon.
‘We fully understand that some of our passengers want to defer their travel plans given the evolving coronavirus situation, so this is one of many measures we are putting in place so that they can book with confidence with Condor.’
‘For customers without another date in mind, we will provide a voucher to the value of the original booking which can be used across our network up to 31 March 2021.’
The company will adopt a sterile working environment for freight, which involves no personal contact with customers in each location and enhanced ship to shore practices. These apply in Guernsey, Jersey, Portsmouth and St Malo. It is also evaluating options for providing additional freight resources as a back-up.
In order to change bookings, passengers should call 0345 609 1024, use the live chat through the website or visit their port office.
