Popular Post ll Posted August 8, 2015 Popular Post Report Share Posted August 8, 2015 Whilst I think the overall service is better from Northlink than it has been in the past, it is pretty crap that they just on the p.r. wagon to scoop up all the glow that goes with late or new sailing for accommodating sports events and they cannot delay a few minutes for an infant that come out of hospital after a serious operation. Whilst the family were 3 minutes late, they ferry sailed 10 minutes early, so could in theory have sailed still 7 minutes early that is not going to make any real difference to things. It's not the middle of winter. Maybe the tides were strong that day but the boat has ample power to overcome these and this has never previously been an issue, but if it had been the height of tides that would be a reasonable argument and LOW TIDE IN ABERDEEN ON THIS DAY WAS AT 1235 AND HIGH WATER AT 1900, so if anything a later sailing would if anything have been more favorable. Maybe they are using all their brain power to try and steer the boat in a straight line and have no capacity left for calculation of tides? I know you have to draw the line somewhere with closing and securing the ferry, but with this situation and how little beyond 'cut off' it was, I think they made the wrong call. I hope the peerie fellow is doing well anyway. concerned shetlander, Chalklate, George. and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frances144 Posted August 8, 2015 Report Share Posted August 8, 2015 I agree. A few years' back, they would've waited and that is a fact, not a myth, not hearsay but fact - but then it would've been P&O. All jobsworth now. Passengers are just the means to the funding. Ally 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted August 8, 2015 Report Share Posted August 8, 2015 Personally, I always though that "lifeline" was a two way service. Unfortunately, it is beginning to look as though passengers are beginning to interfere with the "smooth running" of their vessels... Perhaps Serco/Northlink should be made to realise that passengers/customers do not interfere with your work, they ARE your work... Ally and George. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffererof1crankymofo Posted August 8, 2015 Report Share Posted August 8, 2015 The days of the ferry waiting for ya if you are late are long gone. Ever since the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster or if not before, if I remember correctly all ferries over a certain capacity have to submit a passenger list before they sail. If that list has already been submitted, they won't let you onboard. The onus is on us, the passengers, to get there on time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheelsup Posted August 8, 2015 Report Share Posted August 8, 2015 Whilst the circumstances in this case are sad and genuine, there will the another side to this story and the Northlnk staff will probably not be allowed to defend themselves. I notice people always turning up late for boats and flights (usually the same people) where it is down to trying to squeeze every last minute out of their stay. I wonder how often staff get to hear the same story and probably have to answer to management , or not get paid extra if there are delays. an old adage " flights run for people who are waiting, not waiting for people who are running. " George. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustMe Posted August 8, 2015 Report Share Posted August 8, 2015 I wonder if this is a simple thing about money. Noticed the boat almost always leaves around 10 minutes before departure time and I can only think that if the dockers (all right "un-dockers"" are not free of their duties by the hour do they get another hours pay. In which case why not change the departure times to 10 minutes earlier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frances144 Posted August 8, 2015 Report Share Posted August 8, 2015 i think if you phone, and you do your best, there is no need to go 10 minutes early. They are there for passengers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ll Posted August 8, 2015 Report Share Posted August 8, 2015 Whilst maybe arrangements for patients leaving and travelling home from hospital maybe deserve a look at, what I can't understand is the the master had requested a prompt departure because of strong tides. The maximum tidal stream strength occurs at half water and this had passed some time before the sailing time, so tides would only be getting weaker. Would have thought, given the circumstances they would let the 3 remaining passengers board 3 minutes late. It would likely take Serco 15 minutes to alter their tickets for the next night? I know it's different ferries , but the Yell Sound ferries only start loading at 5 minutes prior to sailing and they can take 40 cars and 144 passengers. waarigeo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffererof1crankymofo Posted August 8, 2015 Report Share Posted August 8, 2015 i think if you phone, and you do your best, there is no need to go 10 minutes early. They are there for passengers. Didn't they only phone 6 minutes beforehand though? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berserker Posted August 8, 2015 Report Share Posted August 8, 2015 6 minutes before check in was due to close. Leaving plenty of time for staff to pre-print their boarding cards as i've seen them frequently do. Northlink have to leave enough time for passengers checking in 30 mins prior to sailing for them to get luggage in the trolleys and to get aboard, that means they need to leave the ramp and walkway open. Cars can check in until 30 minutes before departure and the luggage trolley can't be loaded until after final check in. Can all that be done and the ship closed up within 3 minutes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted August 9, 2015 Report Share Posted August 9, 2015 3 minutes, 6 minutes.. What does it matter? Bottom line seems to be that the family phoned prior to the check in closing and advised that they were going to be a couple of minutes late whilst the master had decided that he wanted to leave a couple of minutes early. Anyone else spot the obvious conflict/culprit here? No point in putting to much blame on the company when, ultimately, only one person is responsible for the vessel.. Sack the master and replace him with a Shetlander.. No guarantees but, you might get a more considerate service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scorrie Posted August 9, 2015 Report Share Posted August 9, 2015 And if they held the ferry back every time someone phoned up to say they were running late? I can imagine how that would pan out. Trains don't wait, buses don't wait, no other ferry company waits - try phoning Brittany Ferries etc and see if they'll hang around for late arrivals....... brian.smith and as 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scorrie Posted August 9, 2015 Report Share Posted August 9, 2015 ...... but the Yell Sound ferries only start loading at 5 minutes prior to sailing and they can take 40 cars and 144 passengers. You're having a giraffe, right? brian.smith 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George. Posted August 9, 2015 Report Share Posted August 9, 2015 i think if you phone, and you do your best, there is no need to go 10 minutes early. They are there for passengers. But they are not "there" for the passengers. They are there to extort as much money as they possibly can from the passengers whilst giving as little as possible in return, thereby producing as much profit as they can. They prove it time after time. Frances144 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted August 9, 2015 Report Share Posted August 9, 2015 And if they held the ferry back every time someone phoned up to say they were running late? I can imagine how that would pan out. Trains don't wait, buses don't wait, no other ferry company waits - try phoning Brittany Ferries etc and see if they'll hang around for late arrivals.......And that is the hole in my argument (although I don't recall claiming that it should be held up every time).. There will always be "exceptional" circumstances. Problem is, there is no mechanism to decide what is "exceptional" but, I would have thought that someone returning from "life saving" treatment would have been ideally placed to claim some benefits(?) from our "lifeline" service. wilks 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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