Travel Agents Tips for When Something Goes Wrong on Vacation

Image: PHOTO: A tourist on crutches visiting a beach. (photo via Flickr/nevil zaveri)
Image: PHOTO: A tourist on crutches visiting a beach. (photo via Flickr/nevil zaveri)
Lisa Iannucci
by Lisa Iannucci
Last updated: 3:00 AM ET, Wed February 22, 2017

Your vacation is finally here and it's going to be perfect, right?

Unfortunately, that's not always the case, and you probably don't want to think about it, but you really should. By thinking about some of 'what if' scenarios, you can be prepared should something happen, but what could happen and how do you handle it if it does?

"Anything and everything can go wrong during a vacation no matter how great of a planner you are," said Clint Bertucci, founder of Travr. "The number one thing in all circumstances is to relax and stay calm and understand it's all part of the experience and how you handle it as to whether it's a disaster or not."

If something does go wrong, Christine Hardenberger of Modern Travel Professionals, said to find someone who can help you. "Hopefully, you worked with a knowledgeable travel agent who can handle everything," she said

"If not, find someone who can help-an airline employee, hotel manager or someone in charge. Have a clear idea of the resolution you need to the problem and ask nicely, but firmly. Aggressive behavior does not make people want to help you. Rather, state the issue, communicate the resolution you want and continue to go up the chain of command until you are satisfied with the result. Once the problem is fixed, let it go and have a fabulous trip."

Travel agents really can help you when something goes wrong. "For instance, one client was traveling with medication for their child that needed to be refrigerated," said Greg Antonelle, MickeyTravels LLC. "They checked the bag, but when they were ready to pick it up the hotel, they had a difficult time locating it."

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The medication was expensive, and the child was due for his next dose. "We made a call to the hotel manager, who made it a number one priority to locate the medication," said Antonelle. "They were able to find it quickly-it was logged under the first name, not the last name. Disaster was averted, and the family actually received a very large perk the next day for having to deal with the inconvenience."

Finally, purchase travel insurance.

"You could be delayed or canceled because of bad weather, or you could be injured while you are hiking or zip lining," said Margie Lenau. "Something may even go wrong at home, and you may need to return before you vacation is over. You will have peace of mind by purchasing Travel Insurance before you leave for your vacation. If you didn't purchase Travel Insurance, you will need a credit card with charging availability or a good friend or family member to help you manage things."


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Lisa Iannucci

Lisa Iannucci

Lisa Iannucci has written many travel articles for national magazines and newspapers. Over the years, her travel articles have...

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