I am writing not as Gozo Channel’s legal counsel but simply as a user of its service on virtually a twice-weekly, sometimes more often, basis

If Jason Zammit (The Nightmare Of Crossing To Gozo, September 2) read something about Gozo Channel “with incredulity” this is as nothing compared to my reaction to his letter. Mr Zammit makes assertions about the service given by, and the behaviour of, the company’s employees that I can only classify, at best, as gratuitous.

For instance, over the last five years, I sincerely cannot recall a single episode of foul language on the part of any employee, even when faced with customers who seem to think that they (the customers) know better than the crew how to conduct operations. With regard to marshalling in particular, I have witnessed the occasional error (even crew members are human) but I have witnessed many more episodes of deliberate evasion by drivers of instructions given or of blatant queue-jumping as soon as an opportunity presents itself.

The same goes for the overall operation. Obviously, it can be improved, anything devised by humans can but Mr Zammit clearly has no grasp at all of the operational and commercial realities that apply. He evidently wants to have a ferry waiting for him at whatever time he deigns to turn up, preferably with a deck reserved for him alone, lest he is inconvenienced by having to wait. In the face of his sweeping statements and vague generalisations, no further comment is necessary.

In closing, just in case Mr Zammit might think I enjoy some special privileges that insulate me from experiences such as the ones he writes about, I assure him that this not the case. I use the service in exactly the same way as anyone else.