Storms, strikes, delays: how to keep business moving
Travel disruptions are becoming more frequent, from airline strikes to extreme weather and air traffic delays. Reliable support is more important than ever with more than 80% of travellers facing travel disruptions.
Winter is on its way, and with it comes weather-related travel delays, but with the right help, business doesn't have to come to a standstill and your travellers don’t need to be stranded.
Proactive travel planning and a responsive team of dedicated Travel Managers can make all the difference, even in challenging situations.
Navigating travel disruptions with Corporate Travellers support
Businesses can face a lot of different travel disruptions and delays, and each might need its own approach for a swift resolution.
- Weather-related flight cancellations and delays
- Labour disputes and airline strikes
- Mechanical or system breakdowns
What does this mean for the bottom line? A bundle of ripple effects, including missed meetings, stranded employees, delayed projects, and added costs. Most companies struggle to respond fast enough or don’t have the visibility to act effectively.
When the Air Canada strike grounded flights across Canada in August 2025, travellers were left scrambling. Corporate Traveller Canada quickly rebooked and rerouted clients to keep business moving. For Ecofor Consulting, a natural and cultural resource firm with teams working across Canada, that rapid response meant their projects stayed on track.
Our team of Travel Managers delivered real solutions at speed and scale. When others struggled, we delivered action.
7,000+Tickets solved | 10,000+Travellers supported, all in six days | 25,000+Urgent after-hours calls handled |
- 7,000+ tickets solved
- 10,000+ travellers supported, all in six days
- 25,000+ urgent after-hours calls handled
This reaction provided strong support for Corporate Traveller customers, such as Vicky Bagwalla, CTO at Umbrella Incorporated. She explains,
I wanted to send you a quick note to recognize the amazing attention that Beth has given us during this nightmare of the Air Canada strike. She has gone over and beyond to keep the communication going with realistic expectations and very quick assistance where needed. I wanted to recognize her efforts. Thank you for your continued support.
Corporate Traveller makes it happen, no matter what
Corporate Traveller is a trusted travel partner to many Canadian businesses, ensuring you stay on schedule during travel disruptions. Travel Managers play a proactive role and offer expertise, communication skills, and quick responsiveness to minimize business impact when disruptions strike.
Proactive care to prevent travel disruptions for you:
- 24/7 monitoring of flight and weather alerts
- Reporting for visibility on who is affected and the impact on trips
- Real-time communication and rerouting before issues escalate
- Support through the 24/7 emergency after-hours teams
Proactive communication in a travel crisis can bring faster solutions and a much-needed dose of confidence and calm. During the airline strike, Ecofor was struggling to plan its own schedule and manage subcontractors, third-party vendors, equipment, and accommodations.
Melissa Lungal, Project Coordinator at Ecofor, discusses how the Corporate Traveller team helped Ecofor balance challenging schedules.
I remember Dan spending a considerable amount of time talking me through the process, the options, and the impact — and deepening my understanding of what was really going on. I appreciated his time because it gave me the tools necessary to adequately support the team.
Winter storms can wreck the best plans
For weather disruptions and other unpredictable events, a proactive approach and calm communication also helps. Use this Winter Travel Checklist to see if you’ve got all your bases covered.
Before the storm: plan and prepare
- Check the details: Know your emergency booking processes, confirm traveller profiles and check emergency contacts are up to date.
- Utilize a TMC: Book through Corporate Traveller for full visibility and share our 24/7 support details with your team.
- Equip your travellers: Remind them to enable flight notifications, confirm the online check-in early and leave extra time to reach the airport.
When disruption strikes: keep communication open
For real-time monitoring and rebooking, reach out to Corporate Traveller with any of these 24/7 support channels:
How to reach us | What to do |
Phone | Call your dedicated Travel Manager during normal business hours. After 5 p.m., press 1 for urgent or at-airport assistance, or press 2 for trips within 48 hours. |
| afterhours@corporatetraveller.ca | |
Chat in Melon | Use the app or desktop version for quick changes to Melon bookings. |
For duty of care, confirm you can locate travellers by hotel or flight. Keep your key contact at Corporate Traveller handy for emergencies and ensure out-of-policy bookings are flagged or prevented for better visibility and compliance.
As Rick Zemlak, Project Manager at Lakewood Electric, shared:
Wanted to let you know that the after-hours team this weekend were absolutely awesome.
I threw two last minute changes at they them which was handled perfectly.
After the storm: review and strengthen
Everyone’s back home, and the hard part is done. Now it’s time to refine your travel processes. Review travel data and unexpected costs with your Corporate Traveller team. Collect traveller feedback on communication, and update policies based on what you’ve learned.
Delivering business continuity and peace of mind
Navigating travel challenges is easier with the proper preparation and support. Less stress, fewer delays, better visibility, and projects that keep moving.
Corporate Traveller reduced the level of uncertainty, which goes a long way toward the quality of the workday and well-being — knowing that we had a strong team with Corporate Traveller on our side to assist us, says Melissa.
Operational goals are in sight, and internal teams and travellers are ready to focus on their main priorities without being distracted by travel troubleshooting. Having a travel partner who acts fast and keeps people informed gives you maximum peace of mind.
Pick the right travel partner to prepare for what’s ahead
Cruising through a travel crisis or getting stuck when plans go sideways. Which way will it go? The outcome depends directly on who you have on your travel team.
The service provided is taken to a whole new level when issues arise, such as storms or strikes. I simply do not see how we could succeed operationally without the support of Corporate Traveller,
says Chris Coles, Projects Coordinator at Scarlet Security and Risk Group.
Winter may bring challenges or unpredictable delays, but with the right team behind you, travel changes can be less stressful.
Travel delays and disruptions shouldn’t mean that your plans go off track, and with the right team, they don’t have to. The right preparation, tools, and expert support can give you options, even when there’s a bump (or two) in the road.
