Port of Dover CEO tells displaced passengers 'come on down, we have capacity' after global IT outage

Queues at The Port of Dover on Saturday 20 July as its CEO says they are coping with the hundreds of extra passengers following the global IT outage. Credit: PA

The chief executive of the Port of Dover is encouraging displaced airport passengers to use their ferry services.

It comes as holidaymakers have been warned of potential travel disruption this weekend as UK transport networks continue to feel the impact of Friday’s global IT outage.

Flight delays and cancellations at Gatwick and Heathrow Airports are among the disruption expected to continue into the weekend after the outage, with experts warning it could take weeks for systems to fully recover.

Traffic at the Port of Dover in Kent as the busy summer travel period gets underway. Its boss says they are dealing with the extra numbers. Credit: PA

The Kent port said they were dealing with "hundreds of displaced" airport passengers. Its Chief Executive Doug Bannister said they operate a "turn up and go system" and "we do insist you have a [booking] on busy days, even if people are doing this on the drive down."

He continued: "The greater visibility we have the better. But we are here to service people who want to travel. So I would say to displaced airport passengers 'come on down. We have the capacity.'"

The Port is expecting 10,000 cars today - a 2,000 increase on yesterday. They said they've opened new infrastructure which is helping with the increase in numbers.

"So far there is no congestion in the town of Dover," said Bannister. "Approach roads are busy but moving. Everything is running well.”

Gatwick Airport is continuing to operate as normal on Saturday but 100s are still dealing with the aftermath of cancellations and delays. Credit: PA

Mr Bannister also confirmed the port remained unaffected by the IT outage, adding travellers were able to get to their destinations on time and without disruption throughout Friday.

A flawed update rolled out by CrowdStrike, one of the world’s largest cybersecurity providers, knocked many businesses offline around the world on Friday, causing flight and train cancellations and crippling some healthcare systems.

CrowdStrike chief executive George Kurtz said he was “deeply sorry” for the situation and said CrowdStrike was “actively working” with those impacted.

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