More people take to the seas following a nightmare year for air travel
LEADING ferry company Stena Line is urging people to travel by ferry during 2011, following a year in which air travel experienced unprecedented disruption.
Last year saw millions of frustrated airline passengers stranded or delayed, mainly as a result of spring’s infamous volcanic ash cloud and, more recently, some of the worst winter weather conditions on record.
With travel plans thrown into chaos across Britain and Ireland as a result of grounded planes and airport closures, Stena Line increased its capacity and operated around the clock to come to the rescue of thousands of travellers desperate to reach their destination – including divas Whitney Houston and Shakira, pop group The Black Eyed Peas and local golf star Rory McIlroy.
On its Irish Sea routes, the company carried an additional 60,000 passengers as a result of the ash cloud situation alone. And the increase wasn’t just temporary as soon after Stena Line experienced a surge in advance bookings with an estimated 50,000 additional passengers travelling during the summer months.
Over the Christmas holiday period, well over 100,000 passengers crossed the Irish Sea with Stena Line, an estimated 7,500 of which travelled as a result of their flights being delayed or cancelled.
Now, with airport nightmares still fresh in the public memory, Stena Line is urging people to reduce their risk of not getting away this year by booking a ferry break and taking their car on holiday. The company is also recommending that business travellers now consider ferry travel as a relaxing and convenient alternative to flying.
“There is no doubt that we have been one of the few benefactors from the air travel disruptions caused by the ash cloud and the winter weather during 2010,” said Stena Line route director Paul Grant. “Thousands of people have travelled with us who would not have done so or have not done so for many years. This has provided us with an excellent platform to show how much ferry travel has changed over the years and the feedback we have received from passengers has been overwhelmingly positive. This positive feedback has been the real success story for us, although the additional business was more than welcome also!” he added.
“People have been telling us in their thousands what a pleasant surprise their trip with us has been, pointing to the convenience, space, no baggage restriction, hassle free check-in as being features that will influence their future travel decisions. Passengers also praised the facilities and service onboard and the lengths to which our staff went out of their way to accommodate the needs of guests at an extraordinarily busy time.
“Never has there been so much uncertainty surrounding air travel and as a result we have definitely seen a shift in holiday planning as more families seek the relative certainty provided by ferry travel compared to flying.
“So we are urging people throughout Britain and Ireland to make travelling by ferry one of their top things to do this year. It’s comfortable, reliable and thoroughly enjoyable. You won’t be disappointed,” concluded Grant.
Stena Line is the market leader on the Irish Sea, offering the biggest fleet and the widest choice of routes between Ireland to Britain, including the Stranraer to Belfast, Dun Laoghaire and Dublin Port to Holyhead, and Rosslare to Fishguard routes. The company carries over two million passengers on its Irish Sea routes each year, more than its rival ferry operators combined.
For more information on Stena Line routes and services, call 08447 70 70 70, click on www.stenaline.co.uk, or visit your local Stena Line office or travel agent.
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For further information, please contact Stephanie Campbell of Duffy Rafferty Communications on 028 9073 0880.