Brits heading on Easter holidays this week faced chaotic scenes at Dover, with passengers facing 12-hour delays including coaches of children stuck "with no food or water".
The port declared a critical incident, and said the hold-ups were "due to lengthy French border processes and sheer volume".
Additional coach bookings taken by ferry operators for Easter have impacted operations, a statement on the port's website said.
The chaos appeared to have subsided on Monday morning, with ferry operator DFDS sharing an update on Twitter that "traffic is free flowing through border controls and check-in" at Dover.
However, for Brits planning France holidays and other trips amidst the peak holidays season - Easter, May half term and the summer holidays - it's no surprise that the delays have left families concerned about their upcoming travel plans.
Unfortunately, if you miss a ferry because of traffic queues and port delays - aka not the fault of the ferry provider - you're not entitled to a refund from the ferry operator.
However, it's not all bad news.
Ferry operators such as DFDS and P&O Ferries were working hard to put passengers on the next available sailing, once travellers made it to the check-in booths at Dover. So while you may not get a refund, you should in theory still be able to go ahead with your journey.
Even when there isn't heaps of chaos, if you miss your ferry due to traffic it's worth getting in touch with the operator, as often they can get you on the next sailing - however, it's worth noting that in some cases this can come with an extra fee, depending on the circumstances.
It's worth noting that if it's your ferry that is delayed or cancelled, then you do have rights to compensation or a refund.
According to Abta if you are at the terminal and your ferry is delayed for more than 90 minutes, you should be offered the choice of an alternative sailing (at no extra cost), a refund of your ticket within seven days, or accommodation (especially if the delay results in needing to wait overnight for the next sailing).
You may also be entitled to compensation if your ferry is delayed or cancelled, for up to 25% of your ticket price for that part of the journey.
Compensation depends on the length of the delay in the context of your journey time - you're entitled to it if your service is delayed at least:
- One hour for a journey of duration four hours
- Two hours for a journey of duration between four and eight hours
- Three hours for a journey of duration between eight and 24 hours
- Six hours for a journey of duration of over 24 hours
Of course if there is a delay and you end up travelling a day later than planned, it can be frustrating if you lose out on a day of holiday or a night at a hotel/campsite.
In terms of a refund, again it's unlikely you'll get your money back for accommodation, although it can depend on your booking policy.
You should check the terms of your travel insurance policy too - it's worth keeping a record of any receipts/extra costs incurred, and proof that you tried to recoup some costs from the accommodation, in case your policy can help you get some of the money back.
