The Connemara has been out of action for nine days. Photo / RNZ, Anthony Phelps
By RNZ
Finding replacement flights for a group of students whose ferry sailing was cancelled after they competed at the Maadi Rowing regatta added nearly $500 to the cost of each child’s trip.
It has been nine days since a technical fault halted sailings of the embattled BlueBridge ferry Connemara.
This morning, BlueBridge extended cancellations with the ferry no longer expected to resume services until at least Tuesday evening.
Vicki Feeberg – one of five parents overseeing a group of six Taupō-nui-a-Tia College students – said they were competing at the rowing regatta on Lake Ruataniwha near Twizel, when they learned their sailing was cancelled.
She said it was important to get the children back on time for their classes, but two parent helpers had to stay behind and reschedule the group’s two vehicles to alternative sailings.
“We managed to get some Jetstar flights for our kids to get home, [but] it has probably added around about $3000 to our total costs,” Feeberg said.
Feeberg said she was disappointed the children had to spend extra money from fundraising that could have been put towards the rowers’ team activities.
“It would have been really nice for that to go into equipment for the kids and travel to other regattas [and] not be spending that on last minute travel hiccups,” Feeberg said.
She said what should have been a fun and social ending to the regatta was tainted by the stress of having to find out what was happening and book alternative travel.
“It’s been really, really hard to get information. We received a text just as we were turning up for one of the races.
“You had to phone to try and get on to other boats – you couldn’t get through on the phones – my husband sent an email as well and we were just left scrambling to look at other arrangements to get our kids back.
“It would have been really nice to know what was happening and why,” Feeberg said.
She said the group had taken advantage of special fares for the event and so had chosen to use Bluebridge.
“It’s not very good business is it? If you give a whole lot of people a discount to snaffle up the market and then don’t deliver. So it is disappointing,” Feeberg said.
Feeberg said she had never thought of taking out travel insurance for domestic travel, but after experiencing the added strain the situation had put on to the group’s time away, she would be looking into it for future trips.
Another traveller – who did not want to be named – said the ferry’s failure had added about $2100 to their family of three’s costs for returning home after a short holiday and wedding in Nelson.
The traveller said they were texted at 3am last Monday that their scheduled 2pm sailing would not go ahead.
They said the nearest passage available – on either ferry service – would have been 11 days later, so the family had to arrange homeward flights at a cost of $1500.
One family member then had to fly back at the end of last week to pick up their car, luggage and the family dog – which they had been forced to leave with relatives – and catch an Interislander sailing, which added another $600 to their bill.
“I understand that issues arise with machinery but the lack of support to a [situation] that has been generated by their vessels along with no compensation on extra costs added to travellers in trying to return home ... is very frustrating,” they said.
The traveller said they had another booking in place for the end of the week and hoped the Connemara would be up and running by that point.
– RNZ