Let's face it, travel isn't always sunshine and roses. Sometimes there are situations that arise. Maybe you've heard about these happening, maybe you didn't. It's always good to know how to avoid a situation like this and what to do if you're stuck in one. I always recommend working with a travel advisor in case something like this occurs to troubleshoot your options:
1. Construction near Cancun airport caused people to have to get out of their transfer vehicles and walk miles to the airport so that they didn't miss their flights. YIKES! The Cancun airport is one of the busiest airports in the world and their peak season is during the holidays.
Peak season + closing down the main bridge that leads to the Cancun airport at the same time = disaster.
Although there is not much you can do in a situation like this, best practice is to use a reputable transfer service and TRUST they know what they are doing. In many situations, the transfers were departing for the airport 5 hours before their scheduled departure and clients were signing waivers saying they didn't want to leave that soon. A reputable transfer service will take into account how long it typically takes to get to the airport (they're doing it all day, everyday) and adjust their times based on hiccups such as road construction or detours.
2. You paid for a car rental, get to the rental desk (after standing in line for 2 hours), and they have no more cars left! How irritating! Can you imagine paying full price for a reservation that isn't guaranteed? Especially after traveling all day?
Unfortunately, it happens more often than we like to think. Many car rental companies will overbook rentals because they assume a percentage of clients won't arrive. That doesn't make it right, but what if it happens to you? I recommend having a backup plan. Check to see if there are rental cars available with two separate companies that have free cancellation policy. You could also look into 3rd party options such as toro.com (like an airbnb for car rentals).
3. The Southwest airlines shutdown. My goodness--Southwest airlines has been rated as one of the top airlines in the US. I always feel confident in the level of customer service clients will receive when they book Southwest. Unfortunately, due to bad weather and poor planning, the company canceled over 90% of their flights over the holiday season. At the time of this posting, flights are still being canceled.
If you're affected by these flights, you can see more information about your options (such as a refund or rebooking) here. Unfortunately there is little to no way to avoid something like this happening in the future but it's a good reminder that when traveling, sometimes there are things that are out of our control.
There you have it, 3 travel disasters which could give anyone a nightmare. If you're ever in a situation like this, remember to take a deep breath and think about different possible solutions to move forward.
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