BC Ferries looking into 'error' that led to people booking reservations on non-existent sailings
BC Ferries is looking into what caused an error that had people showing up for two reserved sailings on the busy holiday Monday that didn’t actually exist.
The mistake meant a longer than expected travel day for many surprised customers, and still has some questioning how things were handled.
Annette O’Shea was one of the people who showed up early at the Tsawwassen ferry terminal on Aug. 2 with her dog, for a reserved sailing to Salt Spring Island that was supposed to depart at 9:10 a.m.
O’Shea told CTV News Vancouver she made the reservation in May, and was hoping to avoid travelling in the hottest part of the day, due to having her pet along with her. She also said BC Ferries sent her a reminder email about the sailing on the Thursday before her trip.
“I found out when I arrived at the booth that there never was a 9:10 sailing, and that they had had a glitch,” she said. “There were hundreds of vehicles that were finding that out.”
O’Shea ended up being re-routed through Victoria, and arrived on Salt Spring in the afternoon.
“The staff at the gate were great, they were trying really, really hard,” she said. “Not at all the trip that I was expecting to have, not at all.”
Savinay Chaturvedi was booked on the same non-existent sailing.
“It was a bit of a shocker to know that, at that moment,” he said. “However the staff was quite courteous, and they put us on a different sailing.”
Chaturvedi was also re-routed through Victoria.
“We spent an extra three to four hours while reaching here (Salt Spring Island),” he said. “It also caused a bit of traffic and ruckus at the ferry terminal itself, because there were other folks who had to catch the next ferry and their sailings got full.”
Other passengers told CTV News they were supposed to depart from Salt Spring Island at 10:50 a.m. the same day, or from Pender Island at 11:40 a.m. All experienced the same confusion when they learned their sailing had never actually been scheduled.
CTV News Vancouver asked to speak with BC Ferries, but was told they couldn’t do an interview. In an email, spokesperson Astrid Chang said they are “sincerely apologizing” for the mistake, and are providing full refunds.
“Unfortunately, some sailings were incorrectly built in our system for the holiday Monday, and some customers booked for sailings that were not actually scheduled,” she said. “We are looking into how this error occurred to ensure it doesn’t happen in the future.”
She added BC Ferries “communicated with customers as soon as we became aware of the issue Monday," however the travellers CTV News Vancouver spoke to said they didn’t hear anything until they arrived at the ferry terminal, and would have appreciated earlier notification.
Chaturvedi said he might have chosen to travel on another day.
“Prior email or prior notification that there have been some updates, and these are your rescheduled sailings...that would have been nicer,” he said. “We could have gotten some extra sleep.”
O’Shea agreed.
“I could have travelled a day later, or come on the evening boat,” she said. “When you can use technology to make a reservation, but can’t use technology to warn of a change...I say do better.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
The kids from 'Mrs. Doubtfire are all SUPER grown up now, and we're not OK
The adorable trio of child actors from the 1993 classic comedy 'Mrs. Doubtfire,' which starred the late and great Robin Williams, are all grown up and looking back on their seminal time together.
Parliamentary report on Emergencies Act decision is 18 months past due — and counting
The erstwhile group of senators and MPs studying the federal government's invocation of the Emergencies Act over the "Freedom Convoy" was supposed to present its findings in December. December of 2022, that is.
Drone footage shows Ukrainian village battered to ruins as residents flee Russian advance
The Ukrainian village of Ocheretyne has been battered by fighting, drone footage obtained by The Associated Press shows. The village has been a target for Russian forces in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine.
Egypt media cite progress in truce talks as Israel downplays chances of end to war with Hamas
A delegation of the Palestinian militant group Hamas was in Cairo on Saturday as Egyptian state media reported "noticeable progress" in ongoing cease-fire talks with Israel while an Israeli official downplayed the prospects for a full end to the war.
Bystander livestreams during Charlotte standoff show an ever-growing appetite for social media video
Saing Chhoeun was locked out of his Charlotte, N.C., home on Monday as law enforcement with high-powered rifles descended into his yard and garage, using a car as a shield as they were met with a shower of gunfire from the direction of his neighbor's house.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.