'Worst travel disruption world has ever seen'

Agents say the current chaos has served to highlight the benefits of booking travel via a travel agency. [Getty Images]

Travel agents are working overtime to help passengers who have been left stranded by the grounding of flights across Europe due to the erupting volcano in Iceland.

Agents, who described the current travel chaos as the “worst travel disruption the world has ever seen”, have responded to the ongoing crisis by arranging accommodation for passengers stranded in Europe, as well as rearranging flights and holidays for those who have had their flights cancelled.

Sunil D'souza, country manager UAE & OMAN at Kanoo Travel said around 300 of their clients are currently stranded in the UK. “We are putting in place contingency plans to ensure that these passengers are accommodated on the first available flights,” he told ATN. 

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Airlink International UAE has around 100 passengers currently stuck in a European destination either awaiting a transit or unable to get back home. Candida Fitzsimmons, supervisor, Leisure Travel said Airlink was working around the clock to help the stranded passengers.

“For the passengers who are stranded in Europe or in transit unable to travel, we are providing them with hotel accommodation, where the cost is paid by their respective companies or corporate.

“For the passengers who are about to travel in the next two to three days, we have cancelled most of their hotel accommodation free of charge, as the hotels are not charging us to do this.”

Fitzsimmons said that the biggest challenge at the moment for agents was in trying to rebook customers on flights as there was no way of knowing how long the problem would go on for. “At the moment since the majority of airports are closed in Europe, the GDS system has no availability or schedules – we can only refund our clients.”

“This is the worst travel disruption the world has ever seen," she added. "The biggest challenge for everyone in the travel industry is trying to accommodate the stranded passengers in the current destination or rebook the flights and find alternate routes.”

Mohamed Al Rais, deputy managing director, Al Rais Travel and Shipping said his staff were also fully prepped to deal with the crisis.

“All staff are prepared for the many calls that are expected for cancelling flights, extending hotels, or postponing trips."

He said that most customers were demanding refunds on trips booked. "We are well prepared for customers who might call and fight for a refund as in ‘I need the cash now’”. We do both rebook or refund - we are flexible with the clients as long as it is win-win situation. But some of the hotels are strict and will not accept [refund requests] even though the customer insists.”

Agents say the current chaos has served to highlight the benefits of booking travel via an agent. “By booking with the travel agent, the passenger is eased out of coordinating directly with the airline or hotel, whereas the travel agent takes care of it and at the same time is able to provide with alternatives and updates," said Fitzsimmons. 

Al Rais agreed: “At times like this the [agency] staff are expert and know when and how to contact the right people at airlines or hotels.”