Smooth sailing Friday morning for beleaguered BC Ferries
It was strangely quiet at Swartz Bay terminal Friday morning, even though the B.C. Day long weekend is expected to be the busiest weekend of the year for BC Ferries, with a projected 580,000 passengers expected to travel on vessels between Thursday and Tuesday.
There were no sailing waits at Swartz Bay throughout the morning Friday.
BC Ferries spokesperson Deborah Marshall attributed the smooth sailing there to a few factors, including the addition of hourly sailings out of Swartz Bay, the return of the Coastal Celebration – giving it a full fleet – and a variable pricing program.
“Discounting off-peak times, that’s a win-win. It gives customers a discount and it draws traffic away from the peak times,” said Marshall Friday.
Friday's seeming success was in stark contrast to this summer's troubled times, which have been dominated by mechanical breakdowns, labour shortages and computer glitches – all leading to massive waits.
That prompted a charm offensive at the Swartz Bay terminal on Friday, complete with drawing tents for kids and musicians serenading the playground.
BC Ferries admits Friday is the calm before the storm. Monday is typically when Swart Bay and Departure Bay get slammed with travellers lining up to return to the mainland.
Meanwhile, with vacationers eager to get out of town for the weekend, traffic was backed up heading to the Malahat Highway Friday morning. And at Victoria's airport, where the B.C. Day long weekend is traditionally also the busiest time of the year, one parking lot was completely full by noon.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
‘We made them safer and more fun’: Here’s what’s new about e-scooters
Electric scooters (e-scooters) have been gaining popularity in the capital and this season comes with some changes and updates.