Agents who stepped up to the plate during a crisis receive tribute:
TL Network is hailing some of those of those who have deservedly taken on the travel agent hero mantra during these months of travel disruptions.
The network is paying tribute to agents throughout May, saluting the “silent heroes”who have been working tirelessly to help those who suddenly found themselves stranded because of the coronavirus pandemic.
” Imagine being a 17-year-old exchange student in Croatia recovering from an emergency appendectomy when a global pandemic arises, and you just want to see your mom,” TL Network asks? “Or perhaps you were about to leave for your destination wedding as borders were being closed. Perhaps you were celebrating your 20th wedding anniversary in Ireland as a travel ban took effect, or your employees had just landed in India when visas were recalled. As travel throughout the world shut down, travel advisors were on duty to get their clients home, while simultaneously moving first responders to pandemic hot spots, allowing them to save lives.
The network proudly observes that nearly 65,000 travel agents affiliated with Travel Leaders Group, parent company of TL Network, are continuing to serve travellers in what it labels “extremely confusing, volatile, and unpredictable situations, just as they do throughout the year during hurricanes, health concerns and times of wedded bliss.”
TL Network is posting the stories of some of the agents on social media, as well as videos from supplier partners who express gratitude “for these everyday heroes.”
“In the entire history of our industry there has never been a more fitting time to celebrate and thank travel advisors for going above and beyond caring for their clients every single day,” said Travel Leaders Group CEO J.D. O’Hara. “Travel advisors are the calm to the fears of a worried public, guiding clients all while facing extreme challenges to their own businesses as they sought assistance to keep their employees working so they can continue to be a lifeline to travellers all over the world.”
TL Network and such affiliated agencies as Pace Setter Travel & Tours, Centre Holidays, Bonaventure Travel, Glenny Travel and Travel Trends, are saluting agents by retelling some of the heartwarming stories of how “these talented individuals saved the day” for clients.
Here are some of those stories:
Karlee Marshall
Glenny Travel in Fort Erie, Ont.
“I had clients on a cruise to New Zealand and Australia with plans for a one-month-long tour of Australia post their cruise when we received word that the Canadian government recommended that all Canadians return home as soon as possible. Australia had a mandatory quarantine policy for all cruise passengers so I had to arrange quarantine accommodations for the clients for five days while they waited for their new flights back to Canada. I constantly updated them on their flight status so they didn’t have to worry and arranged transportation home from the Toronto airport. My clients were extremely happy that they had used a travel agent and I was able to help them at this critical time.”
Pam Macey
Travel Trends, Calgary
“Prior to the pandemic I sent a client to Adelaide, Australia for work that was set to conclude on April 3. From March 8 forward I was in discussions with her about returning to Canada ASAP due to Canada closing its borders to international travel. I had to rebook her three times because the flights were continually changing or being cancelled due to the situation being so fluid. I had also helped her get information for a repatriation flight. At long last I got her by land to Sydney and home to Calgary before everything shut down. She was very grateful for my service and wondered why anyone would not use an agent!”
Carlton Montaut
Centre Holidays, Mississauga, Ont.
“One of my agents, Shabana Punsammy, had booked a couple on their honeymoon to the Maldives. Two days before they were scheduled to return on March 25, their airline cancelled all flights from Maldives to Toronto until further notice. The air consolidator involved and the airline refused to offer any alternative arrangements. My agent took immediate action by calling the resort and ensured if things could not be resolved by the departure date, they would offer the clients a special rate that the resort agreed upon. She then had the most difficult task of finding flights as each day airlines were cancelling various routes and if one was available, the cost for a new ticket was enormous. With a lot of hard work and determination, she beat all odds and was able to get the clients out on March 26 from Male to Moscow and then on to London Heathrow where they overnighted in London then flew back to Toronto the next day. The honeymoon couple could not stop praising our amazing agent Shabana, who was able to get them back home safely.”
Michael Kroeker
Bonaventure Travel Inc., Winnipeg.
“I had a large corporate account attending a tradeshow in Las Vegas at the beginning of March. Our agency had booked approximately 30 of their staff from various parts of Canada and the United States to attend. On the second to last day before the attendees were due to return, the tradeshow was unexpectedly cancelled due to COVID-19 and they were advised that the Las Vegas strip and hotels were shutting down within 24 hours. I received a panic call at 8 p.m. that night from their VP of sales asking what I could do. I immediately went into action, holding space with the various airlines and started re-booking and re-issuing dozens of tickets. Being a fully IATA-appointed agency with GDS access I managed to get all of their staff home the next morning and afternoon with little to no cost to them. It felt great knowing I was able to assist in a time of crisis, and have retained a client for life.”
Dave Herron
Pace Setter Travel & Tours, Okotoks, Alta.
“Just before 1 p.m. on the night of March 12, the dreaded ‘bing bing’ sounded on one of our mobile phones indicating a message coming in and at that hour, it is rarely a good thing. The second leg of a back-to-back small ship cruise from Panama to St. Maarten scheduled to sail in 36 hours had been scrubbed.
Contacting the vessel’s ship-to-shore line, we were advised that they hoped to secure permission from Panamanian port authorities to dock as planned. By 1 a.m. we had secured replacement flights to get them back home. At 9 a.m. we were advised the flights had been pulled but we were lucky to be able to find replacement flights by 1 p.m. and managed to secure new e-tickets and e-mail them to passengers. At 8 a.m. the following day the ship pulled into port and the cruise line was advised that only passengers with confirmed tickets were permitted to disembark. Our two passengers were among the 10 that were permitted to disembark and were back home safe and sound that evening.”
Stories like these quickly caught the attention of TL Network officials.
“It is vitally important for us to thank and support all the amazing travel advisors who we continue to work hand in hand with throughout the year and reward them for the dedication to their work. We know that creating exceptional travel experiences for clients is not always easy, although they have made it seem so effortless, especially during this challenging period for the global travel industry” said Toronto-based Christine James, vice-president of TL Network.
“Your sincere passion, your dedication, and your deep love of enabling travel will be remembered. You’re the mainstay in this amazing industry and the most trusted voice on the current travel landscape,” O’Hara said in a video he circulated to travel advisors on May 6 Travel Agent Day. “When recovery comes, and it will come, your clients will need you more than ever to reignite their many hopes and dreams in them of exploring the world safely.”
