Frustrations boiling over as Waiheke Island residents lose faith in Fullers ferry service

May 27, 2019

They’re complaining about late, cancelled and under-staffed services to their tourist hot spot home.

A stoush between Waiheke Island residents and ferry company Fullers over the service between the island and downtown Auckland has reached boiling point.

Fullers has the monopoly and commuters say they're being treated like second class customers.

"Locals can't get across to the city reliably any longer, and people travelling here can't reliably get across on the ferry service because it has seriously deteriorated over the past few weeks," Chair of the local board for Waiheke Cath Handley told Seven Sharp.

The demand for ferries is clashing with Fullers reduced winter schedule, leading to many people venting frustrations.

"On some boats people can't get on because staff ratios are too low, so they let a certain number of people on, not filling it and people are left at the other end," Ms Handley said.

Customers claim the ferry is often late and sometimes doesn't run at all.

"Anxiety and frustration is boiling over. Someone said yesterday they didn't feel safe in the queue. Because it was so angry like a mob rising," Ms Handley said.

Auckland Central MP Nikki Kaye today held a meeting with the chief executive of Fullers and Ms Handley, where they raised issues of poor service, including massive queues, delayed sailings, reduced sailings and some boats leaving half full.

"Ms Handley and I have had a constructive meeting with Fullers where they acknowledged some issues relating to their services. In the short term they will improve staff resources for wharf management and look at prioritising people who are elderly or frail.

"But we also need to look at ferry statistics, user experiences and complaints to improve services in the future," Ms Kaye says.

Fullers will be hoping its all plain sailing in the future.

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