Much has been said of the icy weather conditions, heavy snowfall and volcanic ash cloud that scuppered air travel across Europe in 2010. Amid these unprecedented problems for the aviation industry, ferry operators thrived as passengers who were unable to make their flights resorted to other forms of transport. In many cases, ferry travel was seen as a direct substitute for air travel in terms of affordability and availability.

It was revealed earlier this week that Stena Line absorbed a significantly increased number of passengers amid the problems affecting airports. Other ferry operators have also posted a surge in business, with Condor Ferries reporting a substantial rise in passengers travelling to Jersey from St Malo in France.

Compared to the previous year, Condor Ferries claims to have enjoyed a rise in passenger numbers travelling between the two destinations by almost 6 per cent. In total, figures suggest that 232,918 people stepped foot in Jersey after travelling from St Malo by ferry. The surge in visitors to Jersey was facilitated by the extra capacity made available on board the Rapide ferry, according to Condor Ferries’ Jersey manager, Steve Bailey. Although Jersey appears to be popular among St Malo residents, fewer people travelled to the island from Dublin and Zurich.

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