Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
i have no time for p&o,rather travel seafrance/dfds any time.
Guest 658- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 660
According to a French woman who posts in a truckers forum they have no chance to get the funding, and if they do the terms will be crippling.She and her husband run a very successful haulage company in Brittany and she is normally right on the ball.
beer the food of the gods
Guest 722- Registered: 23 Aug 2011
- Posts: 97
Sarkozy has said today that SNCF must give the workers exceptional redundancy payouts, so that they can make up the shortfall to buy the company.
http://www.lexpress.fr/actualites/1/actualite/seafrance-le-gouvernement-change-de-cap-et-donne-leur-chance-aux-salaries_1067302.html?actu=1Guest 658- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 660
But they still will not run at a profit so its a sticking plaster job at best.
beer the food of the gods
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
103.....the subsidy comes via a sale of the vessels to SNCF and a leaseback to the Scop for a 'modest sum'.
L'offre du gouvernement "passe par le rachat des bateaux par la SNCF, qui les relouerait ensuite pour une somme modique à la Scop"
I dont think this will get through the people in Brussels.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
Peter, the people in Brussels won't dare challenge an internal French economic decision.
They are scared stiff they might lose their job any time soon.
The whole future of the EU depends on 2 people alone: Monsieur Sarkozy and Madame Merkel.
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
If you read the previous link, it says the deal still has to be argued before the French court too. That's not certain to go through either.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
It will go through, Peter. It would be a sad day for France if the French let Sea France go bankrupt. It's not in their economic interests to do so.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
Then the (French) unions should have behaved more responsibly when SeaFrance was operating - will they behave better if it is saved ? I doubt it somehow.
Roger
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
roger,such a cynic this morning arnt we.have woke up this morning in a grinch mood.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
Not all all Brian, what makes you say that ? Surely the lack of reliability of Seafrance being able to sail according to their timetable, was what stopped many people sailing with them, which then caused them to go bust and that was all down to the French unions - wasn't it ?
Roger
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
no roger,compition done that along with a price war between ferry companys and the tunnel.
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
Over-manning at the insistence of the unions was a major factor, Roger, which increased their cost base unbearably. Also surly and sloppy customer service which we experienced several times before abandoning SeaFrance permanently years ago. But you are right about the cavalier attitude to the timetable. We lost count of the number of times our sailing was cancelled for 'technical reasons' when they didn't have enough vehicles to fill a ship at quiet times.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
oh dear,sorry to here that peter,i have allways found the opisit though.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
i am a great fan of p & o, never liked sea france for the reason stated above.
all the city experts that have been asked say that they are a dead duck that cannot be resuscitated.
i think that any attempt to start up again will fail for the same reasons that have brought them to the present situation.
Guest 715- Registered: 9 Jun 2011
- Posts: 2,438
If they are saved I will be delighted for those who will keep their jobs, it is very bleak for those without! however I cannot see what will have changed that will make Seafrance viable? surely the same problems will still be there?
Audere est facere.
Guest 722- Registered: 23 Aug 2011
- Posts: 97
The court hearing to decide on the future of Sea France has been put off until monday 9th January. Still more waiting to hear the outcome !
Guest 656- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,262
I personally have always preferred to travel Seafrance but like Brian I have never experienced any problems whatsoever. As alexander says above, it will indeed be a sad day for France if Seafrance go under, who would have thought that it could ever happen to Seafrance in the first place
Will be interesting to hear next Mondays outcome.
Brian, hope you enjoyed your French cheese courtesy of Guzzler for raffle, I loved the Chardonnay
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,707
Sadly if this is approved it
a) is a clear breach of the EUs rules on government subsidy/support
b) delaying the inevitable as the business is unsustainable without some form of radical overhaul, that will not be in the interests of the unions or their members
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
