Abu Dhabi
Travel firms tackle future bookings in date order
Juliet Dennis
Travel firms were this week focusing on processing forward bookings in date order to support customers – but many reported concerns being raised about future travel. Companies said they were prioritising
clients requiring repatriation and then working through affected bookings chronologically with offers to rebook or refund trips if needed. Barrhead Travel managing director Nicki
Tempest-Mitchell said the agency was “taking each day at a time,” but reported a “growing number of calls” from clients due to travel in the coming months to the UAE and Cyprus and also from those seeking general reassurance. Hays Travel chief operating officer
Jonathon Woodall-Johnston said: “Working with our operator partners, we are prioritising support for those who are affected in departure date order.” Travelpack dealt with about 185 impacted
bookings due for departure this week to the affected region or transiting through hubs such as Dubai or Doha. Head of marketing Joely Charlotte Garland, said: “Thankfully, many of our airline partners have issued commercial waivers, which has allowed our teams to swiftly secure full refunds or reroute clients.” The company said the cost of
4
replacement flights for transit customers was “astronomical” due to a lack of availability. Kuoni doubled the size of its customer
service team to help agents and clients and called all customers with affected holidays up to March 5 with the option to amend, rebook or refund the holiday cost. “At times like these, we know human contact is important,” said head of trade partnerships Sarah Weetman. Premier Holidays said it had supported
several hundred customers. Sales and marketing director Debbie Goffin said: “We’re conducting a forward booking review to ensure any customers due to travel shortly are contacted in advance with their options.” Other agents also cited concerns about
future travel, with The Travel Network Group reporting “high enquiry volumes”, particularly about travel to or via the UAE as well as Turkey and Cyprus. Advantage Travel Partnership said reaction
to the conflict had been “mixed” but stressed it was too early to gauge the longer-term impact on trading. Commercial director John Sullivan said: “What we do know is consumers are continuing to plan and book travel for Easter.” Club Voyages founder Sam Ballard and
Auria Travel founder Markus Kendall-Young both reported concerns being raised about the UAE, as well as Turkey and Cyprus.
Middle East co flights and tra
Ian Taylor
The US and Israel’s war on Iran and the Iranian response have taken travel to a new level of uncertainty, with airspace closed across the Middle East and missile and drone attacks on Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Cyprus and elsewhere. Aviation data analyst Cirium reported the cancellation
of 19,000 flights by midday on Tuesday as attacks on Saudi and Qatar oil and gas installations and on shipping at the entrance to the Gulf threatened a sharp rise in energy costs. Chancellor Rachel Reeves acknowledged the world had
“become more uncertain” as she issued a Spring Statement intended to project “economic stability” after the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) revised down its growth forecast for this year. However, the latest forecasts took no account of the war, which the OBR warned “could have very significant impacts on the economy”. KPMG senior economist Moustafa Ali warned an
Abta Travel Finance conference on Monday that: “Attacks on energy infrastructure in the Gulf could have severe consequences for inflation and consumer spending.” Abta issued a series of operational bulletins for
members on the latest Foreign Office advice and launched a dedicated section of its Member Zone with detailed guidance, with chief executive Mark Tanzer noting: “Clearly, this is a fast-changing situation.” The Foreign Office advised against all but essential travel to the UAE, Qatar, Jordan and Lebanon, and all
5 MARCH 2026
travelweekly.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
