Lack of flights hinders repatriation Andrew McQuarrie


Long-haul tour operators have been grappling with “challenging” repatriation efforts caused by the Middle East crisis, describing it as the most significant travel disruption since the pandemic. Kuoni said it had doubled the


size of its customer support team to help trade partners “round the clock”, while Major Travel has been operating its trade support phone line until 9pm, rather than 6pm as normal, in addition to offering its usual 24/7 WhatsApp support. The US attacked Iran on


February 28, with the Iranian response targeting locations


including Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Major Travel managing


director Qasim Gulamhusein said the operator had 42 travellers in the United Arab Emirates when the conflict broke out, as well as 87 people who were travelling on Middle Eastern airlines. “It’s been non-stop since then,”


he said. “The ticketing team and our crisis team have been working 13 or 14 hours a day.” Gulamhusein, who said he


went more than a week without a full night’s sleep, added: “It’s been a constant nightmare of booking flights, airlines cancelling, booking flights again, airlines cancelling and clients getting stressed in resort.


Trade urged to ‘resecure bookings’ in run-up to Easter


Ian Taylor


The trade’s focus remained on repatriating travellers trapped by the war on Iran this week, but businesses are also dealing with increasing numbers of customers booked to travel in the run-up to and over Easter. Advantage Travel Partnership


chief executive Julia Lo Bue-Said described the problems facing agents as “really challenging” and “highly complicated”, saying the competing liabilities of EU air passenger rights, the Package Travel Regulations and Foreign Office advice are not helping. She said: “We all get there is a war, but we need things to be


4 12 MARCH 2026


workable. It’s a major crisis and we should have government and industry working closely together.” Instead, she said: “The


government communication has been appalling. The situation isn’t being communicated locally. Thousands of customers aren’t being engaged with.” Lo Bue-Said added: “The


focus has been on the United Arab Emirates (UAE) but tens of thousands are stranded outside the UAE and there isn’t the capacity [to repatriate them].” She said there had been no


talk of refund credit notes to deal with the volume of demand for refunds, saying: “The challenge


Our teams have


been working round the clock to support travellers and secure return journeys


“We had a traveller stuck in


the Maldives who had cancer treatment scheduled back home and luckily we got her back in time. Across the management team, we probably spent about 15 hours on that booking alone.” On Monday, he said most


travellers had already returned home or were due to return in the


following two or three days. Kuoni said the repatriation


task had been “challenging”, citing “limited flight availability and rapidly changing conditions”. Sarah Weetman, head of trade


partnerships, said: “Our teams have been working round the clock to support travellers, secure return journeys and provide clear, personal guidance during a very unpredictable period.” Tui said “a number of customers”


were able to return to the UK at the weekend on repatriation flights organised by Tui Airways as part of wider Tui Group efforts. Across all markets, the flights served about 600 travellers.


Operators face losing ‘millions [of pounds]’ due to cancelled bookings


right now is the stranded passengers.” But she added: “We will need


to start thinking ahead. There are more cancellations every day. We’re working hard with operators to try to extend amendment dates. The difference with [the pandemic] is that there are alternative holidays. “We need to be pragmatic


and resecure as many bookings as possible. We’re advising members to speak to their suppliers.” The Advantage chief said it


was “highly unlikely” holidays to the UAE would go ahead in the run-up to Easter, saying: “If customers are booked to the UAE or transiting via the UAE, our members can’t do anything.


There is no flight availability. We’re left with them cancelling.” She said: “The costs and the lost


commission will be substantial.” Association of Atol Companies


advisor Alan Bowen warned operators’ losses would “run into millions” and said refund credit notes would be “incredibly helpful”, adding: “An awful lot of people have bookings for Easter and don’t want to fly via the Middle East, but hotels outside the Middle East aren’t prepared to give refunds.” An Abta spokesperson said: “If


operators can’t provide a holiday or it has to be changed significantly due to the war, the customer is entitled to an alternative or a refund.”


travelweekly.co.uk


PICTURE: Shutterstock/Markus Mainka


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