The Association of Canadian Travel Agencies and Travel Advisors (ACTA) says it is closely monitoring the recent decisions by Air Canada, Air Transat and WestJet to suspend service to Cuba, citing immediate impacts on travellers and the agencies and advisors supporting them.
“The withdrawal of service to Cuba by multiple Canadian carriers creates immediate and significant disruption for travellers, as well as for travel agencies and travel advisors working to support them,” said ACTA president Suzanne Acton-Gervais.
“Cuba has long been an important and accessible destination for Canadian travellers. With these sudden changes, thousands of Canadians are facing rebookings, destination changes, or cancellations.”
ACTA said the suspensions come during a busy travel period and are adding strain across the system. Reaccommodating travellers at scale requires coordination among airlines, tour operators, hotels and insurance providers, while also increasing workloads for travel agencies and advisors nationwide.
The association is calling on airline and supplier partners to provide clear and timely communication, flexible policies and protection of travel agency and travel advisor commissions. ACTA also emphasized the need for reliable self-service tools that allow agencies and advisors to manage changes, access inventory, process refunds and complete rebookings directly within booking platforms, rather than waiting on hold.
ACTA noted that these requests are outlined in its Travel Agency and Travel Advisor “ASKs” – Supplier Best Practices, which focus on improving servicing, transparency and operational efficiency across the travel ecosystem. The organization said adherence to these practices is particularly important during periods of disruption.
“Travel agencies and travel advisors are dedicating extensive time and expertise to assist affected clients,” Acton-Gervais added.
“They must be equipped with high quality self-service tools and supported with fair compensation for the critical work they are doing during this disruption.”
Acton-Gervais also highlighted the role of travel insurance.
“Unexpected destination changes highlight the value of having appropriate travel insurance coverage. Travel agencies and travel advisors help travellers understand their options and select policies that provide meaningful protection and peace of mind.”
ACTA said it will continue to monitor developments and advocate for travel agencies and travel advisors as the situation evolves.
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