BC Ferries sold reservations for non-existent sailings on holiday Monday
Some BC Ferries passengers arrived at their departure terminal Monday only to learn the sailing they reserved weeks in advance never actually existed.
And with ferries already jam-packed with travellers returning home at the end of the B.C. Day long weekend, some families have subsequently found themselves trapped and unable to return home for another night.
BC Ferries has apologized online and told passengers that sailings were "incorrectly built into our system" on the holiday Monday.
"We sincerely apologize to all customers affected and are giving full refunds for the inconvenience," the company wrote on Twitter.
BC Ferries has not responded to CTV News' requests for more information, including how many passengers were impacted in total and how the mistake happened.
Impacted travellers have said they booked their sailings through the BC Ferries website like any other.
Oliver Fitt, who reserved a direct ferry from Tsawwassen to Salt Spring Island that was supposed to leave at 9:10 a.m., said he even received a reminder email a few days ago.
But when he showed up at the terminal, he learned there was no such sailing scheduled.
"Seems a little bit strange," Fitt told CTV News. "Clearly some things aren't working very well within BC Ferries that need to be addressed."
That sailing was supposed to pick up more passengers on Salt Spring at 10:50 a.m., make another stop at Pender Island at 11:40 a.m., then return everyone to Tsawwassen.
One traveller said she was waiting in the vehicle lineup at the Long Harbour ferry terminal when a BC Ferries employee began approaching cars one by one and informing them their reservation was no longer valid.
Multiple affected passengers told CTV News they felt sorry for the employees working the terminals, who appeared to be just learning about the issue as it was happening.
With files from CTV News Vancouver's Angela Jung
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Western University researchers unlock potential 'cure' for ALS
New research out of London, Ont.'s Western University is shedding light on a potential cure for ALS, in which the targeting of the interaction between two proteins can halt or fully reverse the disease's progression.
Police release 3D images of young child found in an Ontario river two years ago
Police have released a three-dimensional image of a young child whose remains were discovered in the Grand River in Dunnville, Ont. almost two years ago.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
Kamala Harris drops F-bomb during White House live-stream
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris used a profanity on Monday while offering advice to young Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders about how to break through barriers.
B.C. man fighting for refund after finding someone living at Whistler vacation rental
Edwin Mostered spent thousands of dollars booking a vacation home in Whistler, B.C., for a group skiing trip earlier this year – or so he thought.
Avs forward Valeri Nichushkin suspended at least six months
Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin was suspended for at least six months without pay and placed in Stage 3 of the league's player assistance program.
Collapsed Baltimore bridge span comes down with a boom after crews set off chain of explosives
Crews conducted a controlled demolition Monday to break down the largest remaining span of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
Security video caught admitted serial killer disposing of bodies in Winnipeg garbage bins
Security video caught admitted serial killer Jeremy Skibicki on multiple late-night outings, disposing of body parts in nearby garbage bins and dumpsters in the middle of the night.
Mortgage companies could intensify the next recession, U.S. officials warn
U.S. officials worry the next recession could be intensified by a cascading series of failures in the mortgage industry caused by crashing home prices, frozen financial markets and soaring delinquencies.