Cross-channel operator Brittany Ferries is hoping to have a Plymouth-Porto connection in time for football fans to use it to watch the revamped Champions League final.
The French company explored the possibility of “green list” services between Devon and Portugal and saw enormous interest in the potential Plymouth-Porto route.
And now that interest has been heightened by UEFA’s decision to move the European final from Istanbul to Porto.
Newly crowned Premier League champions Manchester City will face FA Cup finalists Chelsea at the Estadio do Drago in Porto on May 29 after the game was moved from Ataturk Stadium to the ‘red list’ of Turkey.
Brittany Ferries are expected to make a final decision on whether to offer a Plymouth-Porto service by the middle of next week, around May 18 or 19.
If it can be done, the intention is to start sailing on May 24 or 25, in time for people to use the service to get to the game.
It is understood that each club will be allocated 6,000 tickets for a total attendance of 20,000 people authorized in the 50,000-seat stadium.
A spokesperson for Brittany Ferries said the prospect for a Plymouth-Porto service was “fifty-fifty” at the moment, but the company really intends to make it happen.
It is expected to start before the end of May to make it viable and catch enough traffic for the summer holidays, with Plymouth rather than the company’s other main UK port, Portsmouth, being considered ideal.
The spokesperson added: “The idea is to have the service up and running by May 24 or 25 and the reality is that it is more likely to depart from Plymouth (rather than Portsmouth).
“The reality is that we have to make it work this month, otherwise it’s not worth doing it at all, but there are challenges to overcome.”
The spokesperson said it had not yet been decided which of the company’s fleet of ships would be used if the service took place, but the crossing between Plymouth and Porto would take around 30 hours.
If the service can be started, it would mean Portugal would become the first new destination country for Brittany Ferries since it started sailing to Spain in 1978.
And launching the road with a serve for the Champions League final would be the perfect start, the spokesperson said, adding: “What a way to celebrate a new course and a new country.”
Brittany Ferries, which is headquartered in the UK in Plymouth, sees a clear demand from Brits for a holiday in sunny Portugal, with other traditional summer destinations all on the ‘orange’ or ‘red lists. Under the British government’s “traffic lights”. travel system.
Travelers returning to the UK from a ‘green list’ country do not have to self-quarantine and only have to take one test after arrival.
Joining Portugal on the “green list” are Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Gibraltar and Israel. Traditional vacation spots including France, Spain and Greece are on the ‘orange list’, which means arrivals will need to take a pre-departure test, complete a locate form and quarantine at home up to 10 days, with regular testing to see if they are virus-free and can die off.
Business Live’s South West Business Reporter is William Telford. William has over a decade of business experience in Plymouth and the South West. It is based in Plymouth but covers the entire region.
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Brittany Ferries has welcomed the government’s decision to re-allow overseas vacations – but wants regular reviews of the ‘traffic light’ system and welcomes France and Spain to avoid being on the ‘list red ”from countries subject to the most stringent restrictions.
But he said both countries are expected to be reclassified to the “green” category within weeks and that regular reviews of the list are “imperative”.
He expects France and Spain to turn “green” on the first exam in June, as infection rates are falling, while vaccination rates are rising rapidly in both countries.
The firm predicted that a green light from the government would unleash an avalanche of latent demand for the end of June and the peak summer season.
He said the areas he serves are not population centers, but rural areas characterized by beaches, mountains and forests. The company said it should appeal in particular to those who are concerned about spending their vacations in big cities or busy resorts.