Brittany Ferries Assistance for Passengers

[Benjamin]

No doubt most people will have seen vehiles displaying an "A" (for assistance) and being called forward with hazard warning flashers on when boarding. This ensures that the person needing the assistance, and any others in the vehicle, get to park by a lift without having to struggle past other vehicles, especially where a wheelchair is being used.

We've noticed a certain amount of abuse of this system over the years as some people see it to be used as a priority boarding system (which it can be but normally results in being last off on disembarkation). Others are just obese and find it easier to use lifts.

Eventually Brittany Ferries are doing something about this abuse. When checking in at Portsmouth last week we were asked for sight of Mrs Benjamin's Blue Badge before they affixed the "A" sticker to her windshield and not before time. Let's hope that other ferry operators are following suit.

[Judie]

The last time I took my mother to England, who is disabled with COPD, I had an email explaining that we wouldn't be boarded any quicker than anyone else, which doesn't present us with a problem. We just need to park near the doors so my mother can be helped with the ship's wheelchair to our cabin.

[Russethouse]

 We used the facility once when my hsband was in plaster after breaking his leg - he wouldn't be entitled to a Blue Badge, me thinks this system  could be  flawed [:(]

[La Guerriere]

We've used it for elderly relatives (in our car, so no disabled badge etc). It's more a case of sorting out the cars with the flashing lights and getting them close to the car deck entrances / lifts. It doesn't make it any quicker either on or off.

[JeanS]

I used the assistance back in April with no problems, apart from being loaded last at Portsmouth. However, the problem I had was arriving back in Portsmouth trying to get in the lift. There were children ' playing' in the lift & when I reprimanded them, I was told rather rudely by the parents to mind my own business.