Condor booking system collapses under strain

CONDOR FERRIES' computer system crashed yesterday as passengers rushed to book boats to the UK.

By noon the queues were stretching outside the Condor ticket office at the harbour, with passengers desperate to travel amid flight chaos caused by ash from an Icelandic volcano grounding aircraft.

The computer booking system overloaded, meaning passengers had to fill in forms by hand before joining a second queue for a seat. Even after that passengers said they were not clear whether they would get on either of last night's boats, which left fully loaded.

More than 400 people filled both of last night's boats. There is still some availability on sailings today and Condor has eight services between now and Monday.

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