Managing global travel disruption: What happens when flights are cancelled?

In this episode of Everything Counts, host Motheo Khoaripe speaks with Paolo Giuricich, head of Investec Travel, and Otto de Vries, CEO of the Association of Southern African Travel Advisors (ASATA), to unpack what really happens when global events collide with human movement.

How global conflict affects air travel

When conflict escalates, aviation is one of the first industries to feel the impact. Airspace closures across the Middle East forced airlines to make immediate decisions: turn aircraft around, reroute flights mid-air, or ground departures altogether. What might seem like a regional issue quickly became a global disruption.

That’s because modern air travel depends heavily on major transit hubs like Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi. These cities connect passengers from across continents using a hub-and-spoke model. When they are disrupted, entire travel corridors collapse.

For regions like South Africa, which rely on these hubs for international connectivity, the effects are especially severe. Flights are delayed, cancelled, or rerouted often with little warning.

What begins as geopolitical tension rapidly becomes a global travel crisis.

What happens during airspace closures?

Behind every delayed or cancelled flight is a complex web of decisions.

Airlines must instantly recalculate routes, identify safe alternatives and manage aircraft already in the air. Pilots, crew schedules, fuel limits and airport availability all come into play. It’s not just about moving planes, it’s about reconfiguring an entire system in real time.

At the same time, airlines roll out flexible policies, allowing passengers to rebook, reroute or cancel flights. These decisions must balance safety, cost and customer care, all under intense time pressure.

The industry has learned from past crises, particularly COVID-19, refining its ability to respond quickly. But even with these improvements, the scale and unpredictability of global disruption make every situation unique.

Managing global travel disruption

While airlines manage operations, a parallel effort unfolds behind the scenes.

Travel teams immediately begin identifying affected travellers, those in transit, those about to depart and those arriving in impacted regions. Unlike typical disruptions, this requires proactive outreach rather than waiting for clients to ask for help.

Support teams expand overnight. Calls, emails, and messages flow continuously as advisers work to provide clarity and alternatives. Every decision is time-sensitive, and every interaction matters.

In moments like this, relationships become critical.

Travel advisers rely on direct communication with airline partners, often receiving updates before official announcements. Informal channels allow for faster responses and more flexible solutions.

Beyond airlines and advisers, the broader travel ecosystem, including hotels and suppliers, steps in. Stranded passengers need accommodation, and reduced inbound travel can create temporary availability. It becomes a collective effort to support travellers wherever possible.

The human impact of travel disruption

For travellers, disruption is more than an inconvenience, it’s deeply personal.

Plans unravel quickly. Uncertainty replaces structure. For those in transit, the experience can feel chaotic. For those already in affected regions, it can be unsettling or even frightening.

The lack of clear information often adds to the stress. Questions pile up:

• Will my flight leave?
• Where will I stay?
• How do I get home?

Managing these expectations becomes just as important as solving logistical challenges, because behind every booking is a person trying to get somewhere that matters.

A family stranded

One family’s experience during this crisis captures the human side of disruption.

Stranded in Doha with their young child, they found themselves caught in uncertainty as airspace closures unfolded around them. With limited information and the added stress of safety concerns, including air raid warnings, the situation became overwhelming.

For the travel team supporting them, the role went far beyond logistics.

Daily check-ins provided reassurance. Updates,even small ones, created a sense of progress. The focus was not just on finding a solution, but on supporting the family emotionally through the uncertainty.

After days of waiting, an opportunity emerged: a potential flight out. There were no guarantees, but seats were secured, and the family made their way to the airport.

Then came the moment of relief, confirmation that the flight was departing. They were finally on their way home. It was a powerful reminder that in times of crisis, success isn’t just measured in outcomes, but in how people are supported along the way.

The importance of travel advisers

The role of travel advisers has evolved as the world has become more complex. They’re no longer just booking agents. They are risk managers, problem-solvers and trusted guides.

During disruptions, advisers act as a bridge between travellers and airlines, helping interpret information, secure alternatives and provide reassurance. They offer something technology alone cannot: human support.

Key takeaways

Global travel disruption reveals a simple truth: 

Travel works best when everything goes right, but its true value shows when everything goes wrong. Moments like these highlight what really matters:

• Safety over convenience
• Flexibility in decision-making
• Collaboration across the industry
• The importance of preparation, including travel insurance 

But above all, they underscore the human element of travel, because long after the disruptions ends, people remember who helped them through it.