TT-Line Company Pty Ltd, operators of Bass Strait ferry service Spirit of Tasmania, is offering grounded Kendell passengers assistance with travel plans between Victoria and Tasmania.

TT-Line Manager Corporate Communications Simone Ferrier said the company had received a high number of calls from passengers seeking alternate options to complete their travel.

�We have called in extra TT-Line staff to deal with the hundreds of calls being received from Kendell passengers since the grounding,� she said.

�We are asking callers to be patient, as our staff are working as quickly as possible to process all of the requests.�

Ms Ferrier said that two options were available to passengers affected by Ansett�s grounding.

�We will now open our new cruise seat section one day earlier than announced yesterday, meaning passengers can travel in our new �sit-up� seats between Melbourne and Devonport for $112,� she said.

�There are additional departures from Melbourne (9am Sunday) and Devonport (2am Monday) this weekend as part of our extended sailing season on Sunday 16 September, to ensure that we have additional capacity to accommodate stranded passengers�.

In addition to the standard accommodation, passengers will also be accommodated in specially designated areas throughout the vessel and offered a discounted fare.

Ms Ferrier said that TT-Line would continue to assist Kendell passengers until the matter was resolved.

�As a member of the Tasmanian tourism industry we are pleased to be able to help Kendell passengers at this difficult time,� she said.

All affected passengers are welcome to call TT-Line reservations on 13 20 10.

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For further information and comment please contact Simone Ferrier, TT-Line Company Pty Ltd Manager Corporate Communications on telephone 0417 540 583