“Horrible & helpless”: Agent shares harrowing experience evacuating clients from Jamaica

As Hurricane Melissa strengthened into a powerful Category 5 storm on Monday (Oct. 27), Canadian travel advisors have faced mounting pressure to try and bring their clients home from Jamaica.

The hurricane, packing winds up to 260 kilometres per hour, is expected to move near or over Jamaica tonight (Oct. 27) and Tuesday (Oct. 28), before crossing to southeastern Cuba, according to the National Hurricane Centre (NHC).

Authorities are warning of destructive winds, dangerous storm surge, and severe flooding across the island.

READ MORE: Hurricane Melissa now a Category 5 as it nears Jamaica; Cuba also on alert

For one Canadian travel advisor, who requested anonymity to protect her clients’ privacy, the past several days have left her feeling helpless.

She and her team were trying to repatriate a couple from Calgary who were booked at a resort in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, from Oct. 20-27.

“Right now, our clients are bunkered down at the resort. There are about 100 guests there in total,” the advisor told PAX Monday morning. “There’s no blame, but I have full frustrations that there were not enough repatriation flights to get clients off the island before Montego Bay airport closed yesterday. There was zero communication to us and to the client [from our tour operator] until after the airport was closed. They had days to communicate and get people off the island.”

The advisor described hours on hold, only to be told repeatedly that there were no options. “In total, my team and I were on hold for over 12 hours,” she said. 

The advisor finally booked the couple on an American Airlines flight to Miami “to at least get them out of dodge,” but it was scheduled for 9 p.m. last night, which was then cancelled due to the closure of Montego Bay’s airport.

As reported, Jamaica’s Sangster International Airport (SIA) in Montego Bay closed on October 26 and is set to reopen on Wednesday (Oct. 29) at 12:00 p.m – if it is safe to resume operations.

“We tried everything”

By Noon on Oct. 25, “every flight out of Jamaica was either sold out or cancelled,” the agent said. “We tried everything.”

Even after exhausting every possible option, the couple was finally able to secure a flight home with their airline for Oct. 30, after Melissa is set to barrel through. In the meantime, they remain at the resort.

“There’s no way to get off island,” the agent said. “I’ve been trying to find out if they are being transferred to a hurricane shelter or staying at the resort. The latest, as of yesterday, is that they’re staying at the resort and that they’re safe.” 

It remains unclear how many Canadian travellers are currently stranded in Jamaica as Hurricane Melissa nears.

Meanwhile, the travel advisor PAX spoke to feels absolutely “horrible and helpless.”

“I have tears. I can’t function until I know they’re home safe and sound,” she said.

A lesson in professionalism

As Jamaica activates its crisis management protocols, the experience underscores the high stakes and pressure travel advisors face during extreme weather events, as well as the challenges in coordinating last-minute evacuations and flight changes.

It also serves as a lesson in professionalism – both in interactions with clients and in how advisors interact with each other.

One of the biggest frustrations, the advisor told us, is how judgemental some travel advisors have been towards agents who couldn’t get their clients out of Jamaica in time.

Without naming names, the vitriol was spotted on a private Facebook group for travel advisors, the agent told us.

“Frankly, it’s affecting me,” the advisor said. 

The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) has posted this storm FAQ on its website for travellers currently in Jamaica or those scheduled to depart soon.

In a press release over the weekend, Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett emphasized that Jamaica’s track record in preparedness positions the destination to maintain its reputation for visitor safety.

“Our ability to respond swiftly and effectively to crises is what continues to set Jamaica apart as a world-class destination,” Minister Bartlett stated. “Resilience has long been at the heart of Jamaica’s tourism success. We have learnt from experience that preparedness is the foundation of recovery.”

Canadian airlines, meanwhile, have activated flexible rebooking policies for customers travelling to Jamaica, Cuba and elsewhere over the next few days. Click here for details.

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