Fullers is promising more ferries for the Waiheke wine festival. Photo / Dean Purcell
Fullers is promising more ferries for the Waiheke wine festival. Photo / Dean Purcell
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Ferry operator Fullers said today it would double its passenger capacity between Auckland and Waiheke Island tomorrow to cater for the island's annual wine festival.
The announcement followed last weekend's debacle which saw about 120 people left at the Waiheke Island ferry terminal because they couldn't all fitonto the last Fullers ferry at 12.30am on Sunday.
Some waiting passengers reportedly broke into the terminal, helping themselves to food and attempting to light fires to keep warm.
On Monday, Fullers operations manager Ian Greenslade said extra staff had been rostered on to deal with people returning from a dance party at Stoney Ridge vineyard.
However, no extra sailings had been scheduled.
The company later acknowledged its failure to return for the waiting passengers was unacceptable.
Today, Mr Greenslade said the company would run additional vessels to Waiheke tomorrow morning, and back to Auckland in the evening.
"These changes will give us the capacity to carry some 3500 passengers both to and from the island, which is slightly more than double that of our usual Saturday sailings to the island and some 60 per cent more than our usual capacity on return sailings."
Mr Greenslade said the company had also dispatched extra buses from Auckland to Waiheke island to operate additional bus services to cater for the expected influx of visitors, as well as having extra on-wharf staff on duty to minimise passenger handling delays.
"This will be another very busy weekend on the island and we are committed to ensuring all our customers continue to travel as safely and as comfortably as possible at all times."
