Balearia line – crippling Ibiza!
I note over recent weeks that various contributors have ‘had a pop’ at Carmen Ferrer who appears to me to be struggling to resolve the mess she has inherited. I suggest a better target for those contributors - Ibiza Connectivad please note, - and indeed for Carmen herself, would be to address Balearia who once again on Saturday, at the drop of a hat, and with no warning cancelled the evening Ibiza ferry. Out of six crossings I booked with Balearia, THREE have been cancelled without warning… The ‘We tried to call you…’  line they spin are clearly lies – no missed calls on phones.  No email notice – WHY?  Balearia confirmed the booking by email – why not notify cancellation by email?
Last Saturday was the big fiesta in Valencia, and at 8.30pm a host of passengers and drivers were searching a town for hotel accommodation that for obvious reasons were not available.  A 24 hour delay and NO REASON/EXPLANATION GIVEN…. WHY?
Brittany Ferries deliver an excellent service from Portsmouth to Santander with a beautiful cabin for two nights for LESS than it costs for the 6 hour Balearia farce it takes to get from Valencia to Ibiza.
Included in Saturday’s fiasco was a couple visiting the island to organise venues and accommodation for their wedding next year.  They were so disgusted/frustrated by the Balearia experience.  They lost a day and meetings with suppliers, and in fact have now decided not to have the wedding on Ibiza after all.  So, the late (24hours late!), Abel Matutes has in this one instance cost the island €20,000 in wedding and accommodation costs for the couple, plus over 50 guests with an accommodation and spend of €2,000 each for their week on the island.  A hundred and twenty thousand euro loss to Ibiza!!!  PLUS, if the couple tell any of their friends (and wouldn’t you???) it seems reasonable to suggest another two weddings will be lost.  THREE HUNDRED and SIXTY THOUSAND EURO is the probable loss that the Balearia/Abel Matutes circus has cost the island, on JUST THIS ONE OCCASION!
My suggestion is that Carmen Ferrer considers the damage done to her best attempts to market Ibiza by cowboy outfits like Balearia. Balearia are not interested, simply arrogant. Their reply previously that their website (another comedy act) was not working properly was an offhand reply that it was working perfectly and there was not a problem.  Carmen Ferrer should then invite other ferry operators – (like Britanny ferries) the slots held by Balearia.
Balearia are clearly NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE.  They should be replaced by an operator who is reliable and operates at reasonable prices.
Let’s have YOUR experiences of Balearia’s bungling!
Big Bonzo




Eileen Fox (FOXY) and Roy MILNE
I’m sure many of you will remember Eileen Fox and Roy Milne. Both were laid to rest in the New Cemetery in Santa Eulalia over 5 years ago or more. The Town Hall has informed me that the tax is due for the niches at a cost of 1.153€ each. If this tax is not paid then unfortunately their remains will be removed and placed in a common grave.
Before I reply to the Town Hall does anyone have any details of their next of kin or names of friends who may be willing to pay this tax? If you can help in any way please phone
Lyn or Tania 666 991 336 or Helen on 666 991 330
Helen Watson




Flight Fiasco
I am enclosing two photos of the developing water park at Port des Torrent.   It is good to see that some development is taking place on the island to encourage more families to come to Ibiza.
A cautionary tale for any British on the island with residencia status.  We have had residencia status for three years now and it has helped financially with ferry costs to and from the island plus this year with flights to and from the mainland now that the Winter direct link has disappeared.  To this effect I always carry a folder with our NIE documents and a photocopy of our Residencia Certificate (in colour).  This has always been accepted at ports and at Barcelona on the way out on 29th February.  We did the short hop with Ryanair and at Barcelona airport the check in staff were being particularly thorough with the size of cabin bag  (which was OK for us as we are used to their nit picking)  They asked to see our residencia papers and all was well and we were let through on to the plane.
Yesterday as we got to the gate at Ibiza for the return Ryanair flight the check in girls asked to see our Residencia documents before letting us through the gate.  They refused us entry on to the plane as the certificates were photocopies even though the supporting NIE forms and Residencia travel permits supported us as genuine residents.  The check in girl was adamant that she would lose her job if she let us through even though she admitted that she knew we were "bona fide" residents as supported by the paper work.  There was no offer or opportunity to pay the difference between the discounted fare and the normal fare so we had to watch as the plane took off without us.
Hence we missed our flight and the ongoing connection back to UK.  Two singles to Barcelona with Vueling at 205 euros each and a revalidated Easyjet flight to Gatwick at 60 euros each and we got home - not at midday but some 8 hours later. Total additional cost 630 euros!
Perhaps you might like to pass on that to your readers before anyone else falls foul of this insistence on the full documentation.
Best wishes
Mike and Debbie Collins