Calais Eurotunnel crossing

Calais Eurotunnel crossing

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ecotec

Original Poster:

404 posts

128 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
Has anyone been through Eurotunnel from Calais in the last couple of weeks, just heard reports from a friend of a friend of tyres being slashed just outside the port and as were travelling soon just wondering if anyone has experienced any issues or has any advice?

cheers,

Kenty

5,029 posts

174 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
This is the Eurostar just leaving Calais, so it's busy! Lol

NormalWisdom

2,139 posts

158 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
Came back a week ago, just missed the carnage of the Tuesday. No problems.

MX51ROD

2,731 posts

146 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
Going Eurotunnel Bastille day (14 July ) hopefully the French will be enjoying a long weekend and not stiring up trouble around the ports

miniman

24,827 posts

261 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
What exactly are the MyFerryLink staff striking about?

ewenm

28,506 posts

244 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
ecotec said:
Has anyone been through Eurotunnel from Calais in the last couple of weeks, just heard reports from a friend of a friend of tyres being slashed just outside the port and as were travelling soon just wondering if anyone has experienced any issues or has any advice?

cheers,
When would they have the opportunity? It's motorway all the way to the passport control and then you're in the terminal grounds, so pretty secure.

chopper602

2,172 posts

222 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
ewenm said:
When would they have the opportunity? It's motorway all the way to the passport control and then you're in the terminal grounds, so pretty secure.
^^^
This

Roo

11,503 posts

206 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
miniman said:
What exactly are the MyFerryLink staff striking about?
The business has been sold to DFDS with no guarantee of job security.

They're really helping themselves in securing their future employment. Not.

Makes me glad I'm flying to France on Monday.

NormalWisdom

2,139 posts

158 months

Tuesday 30th June 2015
quotequote all
Roo said:
The business has been sold to DFDS with no guarantee of job security.

They're really helping themselves in securing their future employment. Not.

Makes me glad I'm flying to France on Monday.
My ferry link was owned by Euro tunnel, was being built into a nice little earner. DFDS complained to EEC monopolies commission and won. Euro tunnel were forced to sell. I wouldn't necessarily pile all the blame on the workers this time..........

5potTurbo

12,482 posts

167 months

Tuesday 30th June 2015
quotequote all
As said above, there's no opportunity for any strikers/activists to slash tyres at the Tunnel port. You exit the train and you're on the autoroute within 3km, and most of that's within the Eurotunnel secure zone.

Roo said:
miniman said:
What exactly are the MyFerryLink staff striking about?
The business has been sold to DFDS with no guarantee of job security.

They're really helping themselves in securing their future employment. Not.

Makes me glad I'm flying to France on Monday.
Yeah, 'cos French ATC never strike..... wink
If you're going to CDG, only take hand luggage. They're truly masters at losing luggage!

TVR keith

1,333 posts

221 months

Tuesday 30th June 2015
quotequote all
We came back from France on Eurotunnel last Thurs 25/6.
Approached from the east, big queue of trucks in the nearside lane of the Autoroute and saw migrants trying to get into them. Drove straight past them all in the car lane into E/tunnel terminal, all totally as normal. Caught our booked crossing all on time. Wouldn't want to get there without a booking or in a truck.
Have seen pics on the media of piles of burning tyres at E/tunnel entrance but we saw nothing like that

Roo

11,503 posts

206 months

Tuesday 30th June 2015
quotequote all
5potTurbo said:
Yeah, 'cos French ATC never strike..... wink
If you're going to CDG, only take hand luggage. They're truly masters at losing luggage!
BDO fortunately. Just the aggro of the massive queues at the rental desk to contend with.

MX51ROD

2,731 posts

146 months

Tuesday 30th June 2015
quotequote all
"As said above, there's no opportunity for any strikers/activists to slash tyres at the Tunnel port. You exit the train and you're on the autoroute within 3km, and most of that's within the Eurotunnel secure zone."

And on the way back you are queuing on the autoroute to get into the terminal , frown



Roo

11,503 posts

206 months

Tuesday 30th June 2015
quotequote all
kapiteinlangzaam said:
There are planned French ATC strikes on 2nd and 3rd July.
Thanks for that. hehe

Hopefully they'll be back at work on Monday.

phil y

548 posts

121 months

Tuesday 30th June 2015
quotequote all
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-33316358

They're deploying the 'National Barrier Asset' to keep out the undesirables.

Not much help when this happens though:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-33334936

Foppo

2,344 posts

123 months

Thursday 2nd July 2015
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miniman said:
What exactly are the MyFerryLink staff striking about?
Ferries have been sold.Staff don't know if they still have a job.Staff are usual the last to know.

surveyor

17,768 posts

183 months

Thursday 2nd July 2015
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Foppo said:
miniman said:
What exactly are the MyFerryLink staff striking about?
Ferries have been sold.Staff don't know if they still have a job.Staff are usual the last to know.
Staff are attracting themselves to dfds by causing chaos....

NormalWisdom

2,139 posts

158 months

Friday 3rd July 2015
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surveyor said:
Foppo said:
miniman said:
What exactly are the MyFerryLink staff striking about?
Ferries have been sold.Staff don't know if they still have a job.Staff are usual the last to know.
Staff are attracting themselves to dfds by causing chaos....
I think the full story might slant opinion.

MyFerryLink was owned by Eurotunnel, after much lobbying by DFDS, the Competition Markets Authority forced Eurotunnel to sell asast was perceived to have an unfair share of the channel crossing business. Eurotunnel wanted to sell to SeaFrance as DFDS would not guarantee future employment of staff, sadly Sea France deal did not happen and Eurotunnel were forced to sell to DFDS. The 600 staff operating the 2 MyFerryLink vessels were contracted in originally from Sea France (who are now in administration), DFDS are only offering jobs to 200 of them.

surveyor

17,768 posts

183 months

Friday 3rd July 2015
quotequote all
NormalWisdom said:
surveyor said:
Foppo said:
miniman said:
What exactly are the MyFerryLink staff striking about?
Ferries have been sold.Staff don't know if they still have a job.Staff are usual the last to know.
Staff are attracting themselves to dfds by causing chaos....
I think the full story might slant opinion.

MyFerryLink was owned by Eurotunnel, after much lobbying by DFDS, the Competition Markets Authority forced Eurotunnel to sell asast was perceived to have an unfair share of the channel crossing business. Eurotunnel wanted to sell to SeaFrance as DFDS would not guarantee future employment of staff, sadly Sea France deal did not happen and Eurotunnel were forced to sell to DFDS. The 600 staff operating the 2 MyFerryLink vessels were contracted in originally from Sea France (who are now in administration), DFDS are only offering jobs to 200 of them.
But yet the only people running a service from Dover to France during the chaos was dfds....

Give that they took 2 ships I presume that is the number of people needed to run and crew those ships. The reservations and head office staff were never going to survive.

Basically too little too late.

pfnsht

2,134 posts

174 months

Friday 3rd July 2015
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We were booked on a return ferry with my ferry link but fortunately they've been great about transfering us over to a Eurotunnel pass at no extra cost (or a refund is wished). All done via email (only) and replies within 30 mins.

My preference was EuroTunnel originally but it was double the price so win win.

My only problem now is the state of the M20/A20 - having never driven down that way before what's it like with operation stack. How much extra time should I leave ahead of my depature time do you think?

Cheers
Matt