P&O Ferries confirmed yesterday it has suspended its services ahead of a "major company announcement".
The travel giant employs 3,000 workers and has 20 ships. A P&O Ferries spokesperson later confirmed to The ECHO that the firm needed to lay off 800 of its workers due to losing £100million year on year.
The spokesperson said P&O is "not a viable business" as it is. They added: "Our survival is dependent on making swift and significant changes now. Without these changes there is no future for P&O Ferries."
READ MORE: P&O Ferries making 800 staff redundant after suspending ships
The announcement was unexpected, with some passengers having already headed to the ports for their journeys - as Mirror Online reports.
P&O Ferries has a specific Twitter page for updates regarding its routes, which confirmed services "are unable to run for the next few days."
The tweet added: "We are advising travellers of alternative arrangements."
Ferries from Liverpool, Hull, Cairnryan in Scotland and Dover were impacted. We have rounded up whether passengers who have been affected by the disruption can claim their money back below.
Can I get my money back?
According to ABTA, your refund rights will depend on how long your journey is delayed by.
It said: "If your ferry operator expects your departure to be cancelled, the operator should inform you as soon as possible. If this is on the day of travel, you should be informed no later than 30 minutes after your scheduled time of departure."
If your ferry is expected to be cancelled, the operator should provide you with snacks, meals and refreshments during your waiting time.
When a ferry operator cancels your service, you should be offered either an alternative, or a refund.
If the cancellation results in an overnight stay becoming necessary, you should be offered accommodation free of charge.
Am I entitled to compensation?
You are entitled to compensation of 25% of your ticket price if your service is delayed for 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.
If the delay exceeds double the time set out, the compensation will be 50% of the ticket price.
You can find out more on abta.com.
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