RE ‘Packet one of the most despised organisations.’
This headline (Examiner letters, January 21) in my view was really over the top and very unfair.
Everyone living on the island needs a regular and reliable service, throughout the year come rain, sleet, snow and storms and in the vast majority of cases we can rely on the Ben-my-Chree.
Many journeys are totally uneconomical but they have a user agreement that has to be adhered to and because of that they have a responsibility to the residents of the Isle of Man.
Put yourselves in their place, many months run at a loss and the TT and the MGP; Classic TT races is a chance to offset those losses.
Your correspondent sites Stena and P&O ferries to Europe etc, those companies hike up their prices at peak periods.
What they haven’t got is the iconic world famous TT Races, I bet they wished they had and my guess would be that their fares would also show a considerable increase.
The Isle of Man needs the Steam Packet, for all its faults and in my view, outside of peak times, the fares are reasonable
The Isle of Man needs visitors so do stop picking on our reliable, dependable Steam Packet Company.
Tony East
Kirk Michael
• The headline reflected the sentiments of its author, as is the case with most headlines on letters. The Steam Packet replied to it on the same page – Editor