Hurricanes Harvey and Irma left nothing but devastation in their wake. Our hearts have gone out to those affected and that have shouldered such terrible loss. A wise man taught me that whenever tragedy strikes, there’s no problem with feelings of helplessness or negativity. But when those feelings come, look for those that serve and help in terrible times and follow their example. Sometimes it takes grit to push through a hard situation.
These big storms not only left devastation but also stranded tens of thousands of travelers on their journeys throughout the world. It’s stories like these where you can see where grit, resolve, and outstanding customer service meet. Like this story, for example, of Delta Airlines getting one last flight out of San Juan, Puerto Rico as the hurricane was bearing down, literally riding the outer band of the storm to reach safety. Everyone from the airline to the ground crews in San Juan risked their lives to get this flight out of Dodge. An awesome example of courage, resolve, and customer service.
At Destinations, our own team showed grit to make sure our traveling guests were accommodated. And that’s why we’re grateful for people like our veteran Event Air Specialist, Jody Holliday, who sacrificed her nights and weekend to take care of our stranded guests during these storms. Jody spent extra hours and tirelessly worked to make sure every affected guest was rerouted and accommodated. While many agents would go home and let the airlines sort out all the cancellations and delays, our guests had a real, live, caring person to talk to. Jody is a rockstar and is a great example of where true grit and customer service meet in the face of the storm.
Those storms may be over, but more are on the horizon. The devastation and clean-up are going to take grit and resolve to overcome. We’re committed to continuing to provide exceptional customer service in the face of it all and to helping the communities affected in whatever way possible. Travel is economically essential for the Caribbean and others areas hardest hit, and we proud to assist their rebuilding efforts by facilitating travel to these beautiful destinations.
