Seafrance

[Steve Maund]

Mate of mine is coming back from Austria today, Arrived at Seafrance @ Calais to be told the company has gone bust and been told to use DFDS. Not a happy chap.
Don't know how this will effect crossing for LM?

Steve

[Rs2oo]

Just seconds ago got a flyer on email from them advertising everything from crossings to hotels and car hire. I watched and read in the news recently that it had all gone tits up so whats going on ? They have a link on there for DFDS. We have already booked our crossings on the Eurotunnel but I know mates who always go with Seafrance and are still planning to do so. Perhap they are now DFDS ?

Edited by Rs2oo on Wednesday 4th January 10:40

[andyps]

Looking at the website it doesn't look good - http://www.seafrance.com/cs/sf_resources/jsp/SiteC...

Trouble is, it will probably mean that prices on remaining operators will increase

[JamesBryan88]

Didn't they go bust a while ago or am i thinking of another channel ferry company?

[FredericRobinson]

Speedferries went under a couple of years back, shame, they were good & quite cheap

[Craigyp79]

Seafrance is under administration at the moment, pending a judgement from the financial court in Paris.

The only prospective "buyer" at the moment is a workers co-operative buyout, which doesn't look like it'll go anywhere, but if it does happen would probably go tits-up in a matter of months.

I would strongly recommend anyone thinking of booking on Seafrance (if and when you can) to contemplate the potential of being left without a crossing on what is always a very busy and expensive weekend for the channel.

[FredericRobinson]

..and if you go ahead an book with them do it on a credit card

[Madscanner]

Now out of business...

Let's see how long it is before the reduced competition brings price rises.

[onyx39]

Madscanner said:

Now out of business...

Let's see how long it is before the reduced competition brings price rises.

Apparently Eurotunnel has not ruled out a future bid...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-16469300

[Chrisgr31]

It was said on BBC South East that Eurotunnel had made a late bid for them but it was not accepted. However why would Eurotunnel want to buy a Dover-Calais ferry firm other than to stop someone ese setting up in competition on the route?

[andyps]

Chrisgr31 said:

It was said on BBC South East that Eurotunnel had made a late bid for them but it was not accepted. However why would Eurotunnel want to buy a Dover-Calais ferry firm other than to stop someone ese setting up in competition on the route?

I think you answered your own question.

The bid may not have been accepted but the administrator will now have ferries to offload and that is what Eurotunnel (or others) may buy. They will no longer have to consider any compensation to existing staff as they will be starting anew organisation if they go ahead.

[Nick M]

I understood DFDS were interested - apparently they made an offer about a year ago which was rejected, and are probably now contemplating how little they'll need to offer to acquire the remains of Seafrance.

[coogy]

Seems DFDS have been successful and will be taking over what's left of SeaFrance along with Norfolk Line as I understand it?