Family given £203 refund by Condor after ferry delay

Wednesday 11th August 2010, 2:29PM BST.

The Dean family from Cobham, Surrey, were delighted to receive £203 in compensation from Condor Ferries after their journey was delayed by just a few hours. Mum and dad Sarah and Michael are pictured with Guernsey family member Emily de Carteret, 11, Archie Humphreys, 5, Harry Dean, 17 months, and Ted Dean, 5. 	(Picture by Tom Tardif, 1009112)

The Dean family from Cobham, Surrey, were delighted to receive £203 in compensation from Condor Ferries after their journey was delayed by just a few hours. Mum and dad Sarah and Michael are pictured with Guernsey family member Emily de Carteret, 11, Archie Humphreys, 5, Harry Dean, 17 months, and Ted Dean, 5. (Picture by Tom Tardif, 1009112)

A FAMILY has been given more than £200 in compensation after their ferry journey was delayed by just a few hours.

Michael and Sarah Dean, from Cobham, Surrey, had planned to travel to Guernsey for a family holiday on the 1.40pm boat from Poole on Monday.

On Sunday, Condor contacted the family and explained about the company’s ongoing problems with Condor Rapide and Condor Vitesse.

‘They said there were technical problems,’ said Mrs Dean.  ‘They were very professional and helpful. Then they offered us £203. We never expected it. They offered up the money very quickly. We didn’t ask for it.’

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  1. 1
    gsydonkee

    Hi.

    I came back from France on Sunday and the boat was delayed by nearly 2 hours.
    Where’s my compensation then?

    GD.

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  2. 2
    John

    Agree GD we have been delayed more than once so wheres mine?

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  3. 3
    Alison

    We are off tomorrow and on tuesday we were changed to the Rapide from the Vitesse and last night changed back to the Vitesse at a different sailing time. Compensation offered to us which was accepted with gratidude. Thank you Condor. The last couple of days they have been very informative to us about changes.

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  4. 4
    buttonz

    Condor you better get ready to brake the bank being a Guernsey person I HAVE to use you if im going by boat. I cant remember a time you havent been delayed when I have traveled with you. Last time you in even put 1/2 of the people getting off at Guernsey luggage on the wrong boat. A person came to tell us and said dont worry it will be here in 10 minutes. We never see that person again and we are left waiting 2 hours next to the carousel. I had no way of telling the person picking me up and I find out you didnt tell any of the people waiting to pick people up.

    Is anyone else really angery about this!? Why should these people get compensation when we have all put up with this years with not so much as a apology.

    Warning condor next time I travel with you and you are delayed which you will be I will now be expecting compensation!

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  5. 5
    Ray

    I wonder if this story was raised by the lucky family or by Condor as a way of getting some cheap publicity ?

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  6. 6
    coco

    I use condor a lot through out the year and I have never had a problem with them the staff are very helpfull and the boat always on time. You should try flying with Flybe …you will be lucky if you get off the island let alone get any compensation ;)

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  7. 7
    gsydonkee

    Hi.

    Ray, could turn out to be costly!

    I must admit, i’m not seeking compensation, i’m not that way inclined unlike many others who like to take advantage of certain situations but, I would like to ask the question, what made this family a special case?

    Condor did contact me via text to advise me of a delay, so thank you for that. Shame I didnt pick it up until I arrived at the terminal otherwise I would have bought more wine at Cora!!!

    GD.

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  8. 8
    Km

    Ray, Probably a stunt by Condor themselves as the airlines have been getting to much attention.
    You never know they may be in it all together so next week Blue Islands / Aurigny sale would of gone through!
    Every time i have sailed with Condor i have been delayed! The last time i was told i could not leave my car unattened to go and get a cup of tea but it was ok to go into the termainal to use the toilets as the outside ones were out of use!! Couldn’t quite get that one!

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  9. 9
    Mr Bee

    Dear Condor
    Having used your Guernsey to UK service many times over the years. I can hand on hart say; at least 85% of my scheduled sailings have been delayed due to boat technical problems. Thus, I do look forward to compensation on the next sailing. I am not a betting man but with the odd’s so favourable to being delayed maybe it’s time I started..

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  10. 10
    Jeff

    Delayed 6 1/2 hours with Flybe, got Food Vouchers and 2 Free Return Flights, minimum delay with Condor (on my regular travel experience) has been 2 3/4 hours, no I was not informed beforehand, nor got any information when sitting in my car in the departure area, I had to find someone to ask and did not get any information, in the end my Son rang Jersey to find out the hold up, that is how we eventually found out what the hold up was. No compensation, not even a free coffee, so why, all of a sudden did these people strike this lucky, one assumes they travelled on a later ferry. Is this an advertising scam or what???

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  11. 11
    Charlotte

    My friend is coming to visit me on Monday from the UK and was due to arrive on the same ferry as the Dean family (in the article). She has also received a refund equal to 75% of the value of her ticket. The refund was offered without her having to request it and so I do not think that this is an advertising scam.

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  12. 12
    Mr Bee

    All becomes clear now this article has expanded. If you travel from Guernsey to the UK and experience, a delay YOU are will not be offered any compensation, even if you ask.
    On the other hand, if you live in the UK and travel to Guernsey on a delayed sailing YOU will be offered compensation as a matter of good PR.

    The way forward is clear, remove Condor and get a real ferry operator on the route. OK the local directors will lose out but tough the Guernsey people will not…

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  13. 13
    sferb

    I returned from St Malo with my family on the 7th August, we were delayed and did not arrive in Guernsey until 3 a.m the sunday morning. Condor offered Free tea, coffe and soft / fizzy drinks and half price breakfasts. I think this was very nice of them and was very much appreciated!

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  14. 14
    sarnia expat

    All you have to do is ask. We have often been compensated en route from Guernsey to UK and France. Of course it depends on how you ask!

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  15. 15
    Trini Disco Stick

    My family travelled here from Poole on Friday. They were contacted by text on the Wednesday with a revised sailing time, again on the Thursday with a re-revised time, and then Condor called and offered them compensation of 1/2 the cost of the leg from UK to Guernsey.

    Again, not asked for nor solicited. A pleasant bonus for being 3 hours late though.

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  16. 16
    tomb

    well we went monday the 9th got back today tue 16th and no probs at all.just think they run them boats very hard bound to have the odd problem bet people would moan more if there where less sailings .worked out cheaper to take our car then flying and hiring a car i will travel with them again much prefur to be able to walk about a bit an pop out for a ciggy the crew onboard are polite an hey when an engine breaks down least they got 3 more an the boat still floats .And no i dont work for Condor

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  17. 17
    Amba

    At least the family got some money, fair-play.

    It just doesnt seem fair to all the others who have been delayed 1-2 hours even longer!

    It is understantable that Condor dont have enough money to go to everybody but it could have been split, some how it just doesnt seem fair, others may have more important things to go to or even just to come home.

    Yesterday i was at the air-port for four and a half hours waiting for a flight to ARRIVE, i dont thinkk that many people got there money for that, also it was i full fight i think.

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