Covid forces passengers off Clipper for second time this month

Saturday 12 February 2022

Commodore Clipper sailings were unable to carry passengers on Friday or Saturday due to another covid-19 outbreak among the ship’s crew.

Condor, which runs the Clipper, said it did not have enough staff to run a passenger service legally and therefore would carry freight only.

The affected journeys were Portsmouth to Jersey and Guernsey. 

However, passengers affected were offered seats on high-speed sailings from Poole. 

It is the second time this month that covid has forced Condor to drop passenger services on the Clipper.

Pictured: John Napton, Condor's CEO.

Condor Ferries Chief Executive, John Napton, said that contingency plans to avoid a repeat had not worked out.

“The contingencies we introduced two years ago, which include the use of standby crew, have worked really well but even that measure has now been impacted by the increased infections of the omicron variant," he said.

“We also identified an alternative freight vessel this week to provide cover but unfortunately a technical issue means it is unavailable for the next two weeks.” 

Mr Napton said the crew is mostly free of symptoms but must continue to observe isolation requirements until they are lifted by the UK. In Guernsey, isolation requirements are to be lifted next Thursday, 17 February. In Jersey, they are due to be lifted by the end of March.