What to do if I have an Emergency
Can Exito help if I run into a problem during the trip?
Air travel can be a tedious and sometimes logistically complex affair. From flight delays or cancelations to airline strikes or mechanical problems, the number of issues that can arise during travel are numerous and daunting. Each emergency situation is unique and may require a different approach or measure to resolve, but as your partner in flight, Exito Travel is here to assist in any way that we can.
What constitutes a trip emergency?
A trip emergency is any major disruption of travel or change of flight plans. There are many examples of this but a few are:
- Not being able to check-in at time of departure
- Major delays or cancellations to your international flights, that would then require rebooking a new departure date for your in-country flights
- Airline strikes where flights are canceled across the board
- Injuries or sickness requiring an earlier return home
What is not considered a trip emergency?
Basically any minor issue like changes to seat assignments, cabin upgrades or frequent flier mileage questions that can be addressed during normal business hours (M-F, 7:00am-5:00pm Pacific).
Who should I contact first in the event of an emergency?
This depends considerably on the situation. On the day of departure, as you get close to take off, airlines will put tickets under “airport control”. This simply means that some functions of the ticket are locked down and moved to airport personnel for change or reissue. In many cases where a last minute delay or cancellation occurs, the airline service desk at the airport is best equipped to assist with finding alternate flight plans.
That being said, a delay of your international flights will often cause a cascading effect to your schedule. Your local flight departures – often booked on different airlines – will need to be adjusted. We can assist in getting these tickets priced and exchanged for the least amount of disruption possible.
How should I prepare for emergencies?
Purchase travel insurance: While certainly optional, this can help cover unexpected delays, flight rebooking, or similar events (please contact your insurance provider for exact coverage details). Having seen every problem in the book, flight insurance has really saved the day for many of our clients.
Check-in for your flights: For most airlines, online check-in is allowed 24 hours prior to departure. While not required, checking in online can help you avoid long wait lines at the airport and alert you to any last-minute schedule or operational changes.
Sign up for trip alerts: Many airlines have a text, phone, or email-based system for alerting passengers about delays or cancelations. Where possible, it’s always great to opt-in for this service on the airline’s website or at the time of check-in.
Keep your boarding passes: It is important to keep these until your trip is complete. These can be used for proof of service should an error or argument with the airline occur.
Arrive early / stress less: The general rule of thumb for airport arrival is no later than two hours before a domestic flight and 3 hours prior to an international departure. With increasingly long lines at check-in and airport security, adding additional time is always well advised.
How do I get a hold of Exito in the event of an emergency?
For any issues that arise outside of Exito’s business hours (M-F, 7:00am-5:00pm Pacific), we have an after-hours answering service. Your call will be routed to an operator who will connect you with the Exito agent on call. In most cases a live transfer is available, but if delayed our operator will take your information and we will call back within 20 minutes. Exito Travel is committed to assisting with your flight reservations where possible.
