By Brandon Thompson, senior risk advisor at Drum Cussac
With the 2018 hurricane season kicking into life, who can forget the devastation spread by 2017's trio of superstorms: Harvey, Irma and Maria, which between them grounded more than 25,000 flights and caused more than $200bn in damages?
While we can't predict most natural disasters, thanks to modern technology we can now track tropical storm systems and predict the formation hurricanes with more accuracy than ever before.
Despite this, hurricane season means travel buyers have to overcome additional travel challenges, including the below.
Airport closures before, during or after a hurricane. Hurricane force winds are exceptionally strong (from 74mph upwards) and can damage runways, terminals and radar dishes - equipment essential for an airport to work properly. The risk of damage to planes also means that airlines move their fleet to another airport out of harm's way - and without any planes, there's no way an airport can open.
Grounded or delayed flights even if the airport isn't closed, which may force you to find costly replacement flights for your travellers. It's also important to be aware of the weather forecast at both ends of the journey. While the weather may be fine in LA at take off, it might not be so nice when landing in Tampa. Extreme weather conditions can cause flights to be redirected, adding hours to a trip and potentially incurring further costs through overnight stays, extra flights and additional travel.
Damage to local infrastructure, including to roads and power lines. In more extreme cases hurricanes can also cause landslides and catastrophic flooding, as seen across Texas in 2017. This can make it difficult for airport staff to reach work. Without any staff, there's no way an airport can open, which means cancelling a trip or looking for alternative travel options elsewhere.
Overcoming these challenges
Keep yourself in the loop
The best way to stay on top of airport closures, damage reports and weather forecasts is to keep an eye on local news and official social media accounts at both ends of the trip. If you know in advance that an airport may close then it gives you more time to find a different flight or method of travel.
Book smart
Advise travellers to book flights as early in the day as possible, so there is plenty of time to find a replacement if the original booking is cancelled or delayed. It's also worth booking with a carrier that has regular flights to the destination; you're much more likely to source another flight from a carrier if they have multiple flights to the destination each day rather than only one or two.
Use technology to your advantage
To really stay ahead of the game, you'll need to make the most of technology. Subscribing to a risk alerts service will keep you up to date on threats to your organisation from hurricanes and other hazards. Having this knowledge helps you make more informed decisions when it comes to making or changing any bookings if needed.
Another tech solution is to use people tracking software so you track traveller locations in real-time, update itineraries on the go and receive alerts if anyone is at risk from a nearby threat such as an incoming hurricane.