Algeria Ferries customers tired of endless queues
A ship from the Algeria Ferries company at the port of Marseille in 2011. © GERARD JULIEN/AFP
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
In France, ferries rush to Algeria.
Since Monday, tickets have been on sale to reach the country by boat.
A news long awaited by members of the Algerian diaspora who hope to return during the summer holidays.
Long queues form in front of the shops that sell the precious sesame all over France, and especially in Marseille.
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With our correspondent in Marseille,
Yoram Melloul
Like around thirty people, Myriam waits in front of the closed premises of Algérie Ferries.
“
We have been here, me personally, since 7:30 a.m.
There are some who arrived earlier, there are some who slept here
, she says.
We wait and we are told that it may not open.
»
Originally from Corsica, she was unable to buy a ticket remotely for her parents: “
By phone, they don't answer.
On the internet, the site is saturated.
I
emailed
, no response.
So, I took the plane and I came.
I feel mistreated because we try to do things pretty well.
We were told to make lists, with numbers, with names.
We wait and in fact, nothing happens.
I haven't eaten since this morning, my hair is in the air
[laughs]
.
Frankly, it's exhausting
, just for a ticket”.
Police action
Chérif was already there the day before, he stayed until the evening when the tension rose a notch:
“At some point, I called the police.
I was inside, facing the police.
There were so many people pushing and we couldn't back down.
We were gassed like delinquents.
Me, I saw at least two or three women who fell”.
Next to him, people have set up garden chairs to try to make the wait less painful.
►Also listen: Relief with the resumption of maritime links between Algeria and France
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France
Transportation
Algeria