When widespread flight disruption hit recently, thousands of business travellers found themselves stranded, stressed, and unsure what to do next. For Travel Counsellor, Claire MacInnes, it was the moment her clients needed her most.
Instead of waiting for calls to come in, Claire was already in motion.
“I manage a global client with offices in Dubai, and when the disruption hit, their CEO was due to fly into London for a week of meetings,” she explains. “I contacted him straightaway as his flight was cancelled.”
In that first conversation, it quickly became clear that the CEO’s priorities had shifted. London could wait. His team in Dubai could not.
“He felt that the most important thing was to be with his colleagues in Dubai because they were a young team made up of mostly expats, so they hadn’t experienced anything like this before,” Claire says.
In a moment where many travellers were facing endless hold times and automated emails, Claire stepped in as a calm, human point of contact.
“I was immediately able to take away the stress of cancelling the flights, sorting out the refund, and cancelling all his accommodation,” she explains. “I was also proactive in contacting the rest of the business and letting them know I was there for them if they needed anything.”
For the CEO, it meant one simple thing: headspace to focus on his people and his business, rather than his booking reference.
The disruption didn’t just affect existing clients. It also became a defining moment for someone who hadn’t yet committed their business travel to Claire.
“It also threw up a new opportunity, as I had a client who I’d been prospecting, but hadn’t committed to booking any of his business travel with me,” she recalls.
In the middle of the disruption, he reached out. This wasn’t a routine flight query.
“He got in touch as he was in Kuwait with his wife and young baby. They needed to get home urgently and there were no flights,” says Claire.
With a young family involved and mounting uncertainty, the stakes were high.
Claire immediately switched straight into problem‑solving mode.
“I looked at ways to get him home, as he said he could drive to Saudi Arabia. I was able to find him flights from Jeddah,” she explains. “All he had to concentrate on was getting himself and his family to the airport and I took care of everything else to ensure they could get home safely.”
For that client, the experience was a turning point. In a situation where it felt as though every option was closed, Claire found a way through — coordinating logistics across borders so they were never left alone to figure things out.
For Claire, these stories aren’t heroic one‑offs. They reflect the everyday mindset at the heart of Travel Counsellors for Business: personal, proactive care that goes far beyond a standard booking service.
“I think the thing that sets Travel Counsellors apart is our personal approach,” she says. “I was proactively contacting my clients about their future flights over the coming weeks and months and letting them know their options. They didn’t have to spend hours on hold on the phone to the airlines – I was doing all of that for them.”
For Claire’s clients, the value is clear: in moments of disruption, they don’t just have an itinerary. They have an advocate.
Travel disruption is no longer an exception in the world of business travel. The difference lies in how supported your travellers feel when it happens.
With Travel Counsellors for Business, you have a dedicated expert like Claire in your corner — ready to step in, solve problems, and keep your people moving, safely and with as little stress as possible.
If you would like your travellers to experience this level of proactive, personal service, get in touch today to find out how we can support your business travel.
When travel plans unravel, your duty of care matters most. Discover how proactive support, real-time visibility, and human expertise ensure your travellers are always safe, supported, and never alone — wherever business takes them.
Take a look at the highlights from our Corporate Conference in Birmingham, which brought together our community to share real stories, insights, and ideas shaping the future of business travel — and discover what it means for our clients, from more personalised support to smarter, more resilient travel management.
We are currently monitoring ongoing airspace disruption affecting parts of the Middle East. The situation is evolving and may impact flights to, from, or transiting through the region. Our priority is to support clients and travellers with clear guidance, proactive monitoring, and practical solutions in line with airline policies and official government advice.