Your editorial Priority booking (TMID, 5 September) clearly took as its starting point the debate that has arisen after a number of assertions were made by a doctor who stated, not entirely accurately, that his priority pass had been withdrawn. Regarding that particular incident, I do not wish to be drawn into a debate here and in fact, your editorial made other suggestions and took other points into consideration, which will be examined by the Board and management of Gozo Channel Co Ltd, as are all points made, however made.

One of the issues that you took into consideration was the frequency of trips. It is unarguable that when passengers are made to wait, especially if the facilities are not up to standard (which is not an area where the company has any control whatsoever) these passengers would see even a 15-minute delay as being unacceptable.  It would be insulting to such individuals, especially if they have waited more than 15 or 30 or even 45 minutes, to point out that generally, if arrivals at the two terminals are timed appropriately, waiting times are not excessive. However, it is a fact that the 45-minute trip cycle, which is dependent chiefly on the time it takes to cross and un/load, is one that can hardly be improved upon unless more vessels are put into service. As regular travellers know, when the volume of traffic requires it, the third vessel is put into service to alleviate to the extent possible congestion and waiting times. When, on the other hand, traffic volumes are low, timetabled services are still maintained, even when in purely commercial terms, the trips concerned are money-losers. This is, perhaps, why when the route was made open to competitive tender, there were no takers, because the public service obligation that is attached to the route is one that discourages operators who take a purely commercial outlook.

It is within these and other parameters that Gozo Channel must operate and while we accept that we can - and whenever possible, will – make improvements, we are proud that we give a very good service to the country, despite the efforts of some, and here I do not include you, to give a different picture.

Chairman

Gozo Channel