Thousands of passengers have been caught up in cancellations and delays with the Cook Strait ferries.
A number of sailings for both the Interislander and Bluebridge have been cancelled due to mechanical failures, poor weather, and breakdowns.
Normally six ships travel the Strait, but earlier this week there were only two passenger ships operating.
The cancelations have resulted in thousands of people being caught in either Picton or Wellington. Many passengers have had to leave their cars and return home. A week ago, Interslander was trying to reschedule bookings for about 5000 people and 1500 cars affected by Kaitaki cancellations.
Both companies had received numerous complaints from people affected by the disruptions. Many had been unable to rebook due to the heavy load of passengers already booked on ferries.
Kiwi Rail is on the process of replacing these ships with new ones which are bigger and have more sophisticated technology. But these new ferries will not be in New Zealand until 2025.
