This summer, thousands of travellers across North America and abroad found themselves stranded when a major airline’s flight attendants went on strike. Hundreds of flights were grounded, and tens of thousands of passengers were suddenly stuck in airports or abroad with no clear way to get home. Messages from frustrated travellers echoed the same theme:

“We’ve been abandoned in a foreign country” … “They are simply unreachable” … “No one can tell us what happens next.”

Strikes Are Part of the System

It’s important to remember that unionized workers have a legal right to strike. Strikes are a fundamental part of the collective bargaining process, and they exist to help workers secure fair conditions, pay, and protections. The labor action itself wasn’t the problem... it was entirely within the workers’ rights.

The real breakdown came in how the airline responded to its customers. With overwhelmed phone lines, sparse updates, and limited alternatives, many passengers were left scrambling, sometimes forced to buy new tickets at double the price just to get home.

The Travel Advisor Advantage: Your Secret Weapon in Turbulent Times

1. Proactive Planning & Continuous Monitoring

Travel advisors don’t just book flights - they monitor evolving situations. In the face of labor unrest or sudden operational changes, advisors can pivot quickly, securing alternate carriers or routes before options vanish.

2. Human Connection When Airlines Fail

When airlines are overwhelmed, passengers often face endless hold times, unhelpful chatbots, or conflicting information. A travel advisor provides a human advocate - someone whose only priority is getting you moving again.

3. Creative Rebooking & Problem-Solving

Advisors know how to think outside the box. While thousands of travellers were stuck waiting, many advisors rerouted clients through unexpected hubs or alternate carriers, finding solutions through their network that travellers couldn’t access themselves.

4. Navigating Consumer Rights

Advisors understand refund rules and passenger rights. They know when you’re entitled to cash refunds, when to avoid vouchers, and how to document claims so you don’t get left behind.

5. Less Stress, Smarter Back-Up Planning

A skilled advisor anticipates disruptions and can build contingency plans, including alternative flights, insurance, or flexible itineraries.

Real Stories, Real Stakes

• Families abroad had to purchase new tickets at more than double the price when airlines couldn’t rebook them.

• Groups in resort destinations were forced to extend stays at their own expense, sometimes without access to needed medication.

• At home, passengers spent hours on hold, while travel advisors were able to reroute their clients, often within hours.

In Summary: Better Safe (and Supported) Than Sorry

Labor strikes, weather delays, and unexpected shutdowns are part of modern air travel. These disruptions aren’t about workers exercising their rights - they’re about how airlines respond, and whether customers are supported.

A travel advisor transforms stress into solutions, armed with:

• Real-time monitoring of disruptions

• Direct industry contacts when airline systems falter

• Rights-savvy counsel to secure refunds or alternatives

• Creative routing strategies when standard options vanish

• A buffer between you and chaos, so you can focus on what matters

Disruptions will happen. What matters is how you’re supported when things go wrong. With a trusted travel advisor by your side, you have the support in the field, when you need it most, to get you home.