Nadia "Sparkle" Henry
After Hurricane Melissa tore through Jamaica last month, I felt compelled to share my agency's experience assisting a group of clients who were stuck on the island in the aftermath.
The booking was for a group of 10 women who traveled to Montego Bay to celebrate a friend's 50th birthday. The women were not my direct clients; they were clients of my independent contractor Keisha. But since Keisha operates under my agency, managing the situation quickly became not only her responsibility but mine, as well.
Here's a timeline of what they experienced and how we were able assist them.
Oct. 27: At 8:20 a.m., as Melissa was gathering strength offshore, I reached out to Keisha to confirm the safety procedures at the Riu Montego Bay, where the group was staying. Thankfully, the resort relocated our clients from ground-floor rooms to higher-floor accommodations, a critical step once the storm hit.
Oct. 28-29: As Hurricane Melissa made landfall, guests were instructed to remain in their rooms. The hotel staff did a great job keeping our clients safe and fed under distressing conditions.
Oct. 30-31: Kingston's airport reopened for relief flights and limited commercial flights, but Montego Bay's airport remained closed. The women were eager to return home, but options were limited.
On Oct. 31, I found a Caribbean Airlines flight from Kingston to Miami for $238 one way. One traveler chose that flight, and United Airlines rebooked her from Miami to Newark at no additional charge.
Nov. 1-2: Montego Bay's airport reopened for limited commercial service, but flight cancellations persisted. Three of our clients decided to try their luck out of Kingston instead, flying from there to Miami and eventually on to their final destination, Newark.
Nov. 3-4: After two of the women had two flights out of Montego Bay canceled. Keisha reached out to let them know there were flights available out of Kingston that would get them to the Dominican Republic and then on to Newark. They had to spend a night at the airport in the D.R. but were able to catch a flight to Newark, where they hopped an Amtrak train that got them home to Norfolk, Va.
The last four members of the group finally were able to depart Montego Bay en route to Orlando on Nov. 4 and then on to Newark that same day, marking the end of a long and emotional journey home.
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Fortunately, every client had travel insurance. I train all of my advisors to talk with their clients about purchasing travel protection when booking a vacation.
Keisha said there was pushback at first but that after she spoke with them about emergencies that could arise during their trip and what the travel protection covered, they agreed to take the "least-expensive coverage." Something is better than nothing, right?
However, they still needed to pay out of pocket for additional hotel nights and, in one case, a one-way emergency flight. Keisha advised them to save all receipts and documentation for insurance reimbursement.
The experience prompted us to revise the predeparture checklist we send clients five days prior to their trip. Previously it focused on things like what to pack, how early to arrive at the airport, tipping policies, taking a photo of your passport, things like that.
But moving forward, it will include emergency protocols: print out a travel protection policy, carry enough cash for an emergency and a credit card with enough available credit for emergencies, etc.
This experience was a reminder of how important the job of a travel advisor is. We are more than trip planners; we are crisis managers, problem solvers and client advocates. When disaster strikes, our clients don't just need itineraries; they need calm voices, reliable information and someone who can help them get home safely.
I would love to hear what precautions other agents are implementing after working with stranded clients in Jamaica. If you have something to share, contact me at sparkle@travelweekly.com.