Travel agents are emerging as heroes to many travelers during the volcanic ash crisis that is only now coming to a costly end. As the blame game begins, travel agents appear to have proven their value as the public reached out for help.

While the evidence is often anecdotal at this point, its clear that many travel agents went the extra mile for their clients, responding with professional skill to a crisis that engulfed millions of travelers. Case studies of how agents helped clients may prove invaluable.

Lost revenues now total more than $1.7 billion for airlines alone, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) says, calling the six-day crisis devastating. At its worst, the crisis impacted 29 percent of global aviation and affected 1.2 million passengers a day. The scale of the crisis eclipsed 9/11 when U.S. airspace was closed for three days.

American Express Business Travel, for example, reports that its agents have been on the frontlines of the crisis from the first day. It rallied its global service delivery and communications teams to ramp up hours and provide 24/7 availability.

One telling statistic is that service capacity was up 600 percent more than average to provide much needed support to business travelers, while call volumes from stranded travelers reached 5,000 percent over their usual levels. Travel counselors have done everything from re-routing flights to just providing peace of mind, American Express says.

Liberty Travel is another retail group that went the extra mile. Billy McDonough, president of Liberty Travel, notes the value of the resources available to clients of professional agents compared to impersonal online bookings - especially in a crisis.

Forced to alter their plans on short notice, many travelers turned to Liberty Travel for assistance, McDonough said, “this is where the value of our business model really shines.” Shortly following the volcanic eruption, Liberty Travel’s phones began ringing with calls from travelers whose near future travel plans were disrupted, as well as those currently overseas and unable to return home.

“We even received calls from travelers who hadn’t booked with us originally, but got a hold of an agent’s contact information from other travelers who were in the same place and the same situation,” McDonough said. “Obviously, we do everything we can to help anyone who calls us. Flying was completely out of the question from some airports, but were able to assist many travelers in finding affordable accommodations. They may not be able to get home, but at least they can be comfortable and maybe even enjoy a few days in the city they happen to be in.”

He notes that some travelers were willing to explore other means of getting home, whether it was a cruise ship, or traveling over land to an airport where they had a better chance of getting a flight. “These are options not everyone is willing to try, but options Liberty Travel’s agents are well-prepared to handle,” he said.

“We will do everything in our power to rebook flights or holidays to a future date. If a reasonable alternative cannot be found, we will work with our suppliers and will do everything possible to get clients a full refund,” McDonough said.

Unknown at this point is the impact, if any, on bookings to Europe this summer or the effects on future pricing. In addition to the airlines and airports, the impact of the crisis was felt by tour operators, hoteliers, insurers, cruise lines and car rental firms.

Just hanging out here at the house, enjoying the peace and quiet. Luke cooked dinner. Tomorrow is work, I should have done laundry this weekend, but oh well. I like not only having a job to go to, but one that I can look forward to going to.

Buell Whitehead grew up in the Florida backwoods.  He became a nationally recognized stone lithographer during and after WWII.  His years in California included the Golden era of Hollywood where he quickly became a big hit.  Traveling and selling his art from coast to coast with his unique style of color lithography, he is recognized as a California and Florida regional artist.

For more information about Buell Whitehead or the Alliance of the Arts Exhibition go to http://buellwhitehead.com

Photography courtesy of Attwood Images

http://attwoodimages.com

I have not blogged since November. I was shocked when I saw the date. Part of the reason why was the holidays, the other part was I worked a couple of temp jobs, something I don’t want to do again. I am back and I am am going to get writing again. I need to say “no” more often and stop being so busy.

Who among us is really that brave?

Cheers of “that a girl!” and “way to go!” seek to console us.

They tell us about bravey and fortitude, of surviving against all odds

Survivors we are…. of trouble not our own.

Holders of responsibility, of actions we did not condone.

Captains of chaos and mess, that no one has stayed to confess.

We steer the home alone, left to ourselves, little girls lost at sea

“That a girl!” they shout from the shore, to our backs they give us a wave

Lost little girls who aren’t really that brave.

Entry for December 13, 2005

The house is so quiet…. all of the boys are at work… I guess this is something I should get used to… Thomas (My oldest still at home) is going to dinner with an older woman. She has a place of her own and a 13 year old boy… sigh… I have talked til I was blue in the face about the dangers of older women. He agrees with me to my face but I can see the writing on the wall…. sigh….. how dare they grow up

I was telling Thomas last night how sometimes I stop and look at my life and I realize that I have accomplished something. After his father moved out I did not move back home, I kept the place we had been renting (with 5 kids at that time). I never moved a man in with me…. I dated here and there…. but down deep inside I wanted to prove to him, to my parents, and to myself that I could do it on my own.

So many women that have been abandoned and divorce like me go through man after man… the kids see a parade of men go through their mother’s bedroom…. I wanted to be different and I have accomplished that…. neither me nor the kids have turned out like the statistics

I guess I am sensing a change in my life and processing it all. The house is empty and will keep getting empty, the boys are building thier lives and moving on and that is how it shoudl be… I have done my job as their mother and I have done a good job, they are good boys.

I guess now I have to figure out “who am I” all over again. I remember this feeling when my husband left me…. how could I be a housewife with no husband? I ended up going back to college and took on the life of a full time college student… it was good for me, I took my child support and applied for student aid and went and got my degree.

Now, with the kids moving out and “leaving me” I am at the same juncture in life…. who am I? how can I be a mother with no children? am I a business woman? a grandmother? a married man’s mistress?

LOL…. you know, all these offline messages would make a good blog! Now, I have something to put on my yahoo 360 page… thank you… I just needed to imagine I was talking someone… I need to get in the shower and get on with my day. Who I am will work itself out… it always does…. it did 12 years ago…. it will again.

I see your face above mine

I feel your breath and beard upon my skin

I hear you moan as you take your pleasure

The sweat falls in droplets as we move in rhythm

We must drop the civilization that clothes us

As we move with instincts that drive us

Primeval forces that we answer to

In body and in soul

We move in perfect rhythm in my mind

For this is a poem you will never know

For soon we must rise and clothe again

We must wrap civilization again around us

and return to our lives.

You to your family, and me to mine.

The seagull is probably the bird that should be the Florida state bird, instead of the Blue Jay. These birds are practically domesticated and very tame. They have lost most fear of humans, living beside them very comfortably. They feed off of our trash and hand outs. As a kid I loved feeding the birds at the beach. A whole flock would gather around me as I shared my potato chips. Some would come right up to me and take the chip right out of my hand. It was great fun. As an adult, however, I have since learned that a flock of seagulls makes a great mess as they defecate and regurgitate without shame…. and sometimes on the hand that is feeding them.