The closure of Holyhead Port due to storm damage is causing travel chaos for thousands of people hoping to reach their families for Christmas. Many are facing last-minute changes to their plans, with some struggling to rebook their journeys.
About 100,000 people will need to make alternative arrangements over Christmas with Holyhead Port remaining closed following storm damage. Kim Ward and Shannon Foley, who had planned to travel home with Ms Ward's dog, Ziggy, via the storm-damaged Holyhead ferry port this Christmas, have had to make alternative arrangements due to its closure. Michael Fox Higgins is worried his family’s plans for a much-anticipated reunion at Christmas may turn out to be a disaster.
“I was born in Canada but have lots of family in Laois,” he said. His wife’s family are based in Co Kildare. After a year which involved serious illness Michael and Claire planned to get up at 4am on Saturday and put their children aged seven, five and three into the car “so we could get some distance before they really wake up”.‘I am back in the workplace full-time and it is unbearable. Managers have become mistrustful’ Also in the car would be all their bags, including presents for extended family. “We were very much looking forward to a kind of reset at Christmas,” he said. Having anticipated difficulties since the first announcement of a temporary closure of Holyhead Port following storm damage, Mr Fox Higgins inquired about switching their journey from Holyhead to Pembroke. But “Irish Ferries told me that we would have to pay whatever the difference was, as our booking wasn’t cancelled yet. They said if it was cancelled we could rebook free of charge.” So when the family got an email from the ferry company on Tuesday saying the port would not reopen on time and their Saturday sailing was cancelled, the family started ringing Irish Ferries to change their booking to Pembroke, but have been unable to get through. “They are not even giving us the option of holding until they answer,” he said. “I am still kind of in limbo. It is the not knowing that is the most difficult,” Mr Fox Higgins sai
Holyhead Port Storm Damage Christmas Travel Ferry Closure Holiday Disruption
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