As the conflict in the Middle East continues to unfold, travel advisors have been busy helping clients whose plans have been upended this week and counseling others who were planning trips to affected areas in the coming months.
Leigh Ann Arnholt, owner of Carson Travel in Lexington, Ohio, is one of those advisors.
Arnholt was sending a corporate group totaling 13 to Dubai this week, where they were planning to conduct a factory inspection. Three wanted to fly in early, with the other 10 to follow.
Those three early flyers were en route when the bombing began on Feb. 28. They were flying an overnight leg from New York to Paris on Delta Air Lines and were to fly on to Dubai from Paris.
"All the [Middle East] flights were canceled before they even landed," Arnholt said.
Arnholt got in touch with the clients and encouraged them to visit Delta's air desk, as it was the airline's responsibility to either get them home or to their destination.
They were put up in a hotel, but the airline, claiming force majeure, or extraordinary circumstances, would not pay for their rooms or meals. Delta did, however, get them home at no additional cost.
Arnholt, meanwhile, was left scrambling over the weekend.
"All day Saturday, I spent the whole day canceling out transfers, canceling out hotels," she said.
Arnholt said it felt like the third major incident she's had to deal with this year. When the U.S. attack on Venezuela in January closed Eastern Caribbean airspace, she had clients stuck in San Juan for a week longer than planned. And major winter storms have caused mass disruption, as well. Unlike other advisors, Arnholt did not have any clients in Mexico when cartel violence unfolded a week ago.
Advisor's advice: Stay calm
"I have no control over it, so there's no sense of me getting all hyped up and getting to the point of hysteria, because there's nothing I can do other than support the client that's in the destination," she said.
She encouraged other advisors in a similar position to proactively communicate with clients and remain calm.
"When there are days like this that are challenging, we just have to bring our 'A' game -- that's what I tell my team," Arnholt said. "This is where you can shine."
While The Travel Byrds in Cincinnati did not have any clients affected by this weekend's bombings, the agency does have a number of clients who visit Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
"We have encouraged our clients to do what makes them feel most comfortable while highlighting the distance from the actual conflict that is taking place," said CEO Byrd Bergeron. "For those not traveling for six months or more, we are encouraging a bit of a wait-and-see mentality, especially if their cancellation policies allow for it."
Signature Travel Network has been liaising with its preferred partners in affected destinations to provide updates to member agencies.
In a message sent to members Monday, Signature said travelers are looking to advisors for guidance following the State Department's worldwide travel caution.
"Please be reminded that travel advisors should communicate with transparency and clarity -- without minimizing the realities clients may face," Signature said. "The priority is to share timely, accurate information from trusted sources so travelers can make informed decisions with confidence."
Signature also said advisors should "strongly encourage" the purchase of travel insurance.