Ferry travel disruption: What are your rights?

Condor Ferries recently apologised after making a number of changes to its summer schedule

Travel links are key for the Channel Islands, but sometimes things go wrong and disruption - whatever the cause - can be annoying and inconvenient.

Condor Ferries recently apologised after making a number of changes to its summer schedule.

What are your rights if your ferry journey is disrupted or delayed?

We asked Carl Walker, chairman of Jersey's Consumer Council.

What rights do passengers have?

There is a certain degree of protection, which is similar to when passengers are affected by airlines changing their plans or delays. But it does only seem to cover if you've started your travel and then it's delayed or you can't depart on time and that has a knock-on effect.

As long as the travel company has given sufficient notice then what you are entitled to is either a full refund or to be rebooked on an alternative date or time that fits in with your plans.

The problem we are seeing with consumers across the Channel Islands after Condor changed their schedule is, because they haven't got a fleet of ships going every single hour, then people are getting that knock-on effect to their hotel bookings, perhaps onward travel or the events that they are going to see.

Carl Walker said when given enough notice travellers should be able to get a full refund or rebook

How can travel insurance help in situations like this?

Often people make a mistake and book their holiday and their travel and leave the travel insurance until a few days before they go.

If a company makes a change to your booking, you're not covered if the travel plans change in the run up to it.

So anybody who has an annual travel policy or already has travel insurance or who has booked through a travel agent as part of a travel package should be able to claim for any knock-on costs that moving the shipping time or the sailing time has had on them.

If you decide not to travel on the amended booking, can you cancel?

They should not be charged a cancellation fee. If they are then that is very questionable.

They have caused the problem, they have caused the issue, it is not right for people to have to pay to get out of that contract with them when they have altered the terms of that contract.

Are companies entitled to make changes to published departure times?

Absolutely. Any airline, any ferry company is entitled for whatever reason to alter the times of their departures. It happens a lot with airlines.

For example, with a leading airline, if your flight is changed by under two hours you have to go with it. You have to roll with it. You don't really have any choice.

If it's move by more than two hours then you can change your booking you can get a credit back to your account or you can have a full refund, no questions asked.

Could you be entitled to compensation if your departure time has been changed?

Compensation would only apply if you've started your journey with the company or you're checked in and then there's a delay.

Unless it's weather of course. Weather impacts ferries tremendously and a lot more than airlines.

But when it's actually a decision made by the ferry company and there's been enough notice, no you cannot.

What does Condor say about compensation?

A Condor spokesperson told the BBC passengers may be entitled to claim under EU regulations 1177/2010 in certain instances if a change is being made for operational reasons. Passengers have two months after the event in which to make a claim.

If there is a delay in arrival time, and depending on the length of journey, a 25%/50% refund of the affected leg can be claimed.