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When travel goes sideways, we've got you covered 

Corporate Traveller's disruption support gives your team a dedicated Travel Manager, 24/7 real human support, and real-time alerts through Melon, so your people reach their final destination safely, no matter what.

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See disruption support in action 

 
What does it actually look like when things go seriously wrong on the road? This is the story of one of our customers, whose team was caught in Ukraine when war broke out on 24 February 2022. 


 This is what Corporate Traveller disruption support looks like in practice. Not a chatbot. Not a call queue. A real person who stays up for three days if that's what it takes.

What causes travel disruption? 

Most disruptions caused on the road come down to a handful of culprits, and knowing them helps you plan ahead. 
 

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Bad weather

Storms and floods can delay or cancel flights outright. Adverse weather can even trigger 'blue-sky' delays, where your local conditions look perfect but a storm elsewhere throws the schedule off.
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Air traffic control congestion

Restrictions can cause delays even in good weather, pushing your departure well past its scheduled time.
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Technical failures

A grounded aircraft can force an alternative airline or a replacement flight at short notice.
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Staff shortages, strikes, and crew limits

Staffing gaps, industrial action, overbooked flights, and legal flight time limits for crew can all disrupt schedules or lead to cancellations, with train cancellations often adding further knock-on delays.

What sets our disruption support apart 

 

Travel disruption carries real consequences: missed deals, stressed employees, and lost productivity. With 71% of UK travellers reporting increased stress from disruptions, and each disruption costing an average of four hours of lost productivity per trip, the right support isn't a nice-to-have. It's essential.

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  • A dedicated Travel Manager who knows your business 

    You're paired with a Travel Manager who knows your team, your travel policy, and your preferences. When something goes wrong, they're already up to speed. They'll rebook your replacement flight, find flexible fares, and keep your journey on track, all while managing costs. 

  • 24/7 out-of-hours support, answered by real people 

    Disruption doesn't follow office hours. Our 24/7 team is available around the clock, with 93% of calls answered in under 60 seconds. No chatbots. No automated menus. A real expert picks up and sorts it, whether you're dealing with a missed connection or flight cancellations at 2am or widespread disruption across Europe. 

  • Real-time alerts with Melon 

    Melon sends proactive push alerts the moment disruption could affect your travel plans, from flight delays to route cancellations and geopolitical risks. When a connecting flight looks at risk or a flight arrives behind schedule, Melon surfaces alternative transport and airline options immediately, with three booking options you can confirm in a click. No scrambling for assistance; your next move is already lined up. 

  • Duty of care, built in 

    Run immediate reports on where your travellers are at any given moment so you can respond quickly and fulfil your duty of care obligations with confidence. Disruptions take a real toll on traveller wellbeing and employee stress, with 44% of business travellers missing important meetings and half of UK respondents arriving late. Fast visibility helps you act before small incidents become bigger problems, protecting your people and your reputation. 

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What our customers say

With the conflict in the Middle East, a lot of flights were redirected or cancelled. Corporate Traveller were on this very early and had actually notified me of anybody who was due to travel within the following nine months. From there, we were able to see which airlines they were travelling with, how we could divert them with minimum impact. It means we know our travellers are safe, particularly women travelling on their own. We've got the reassurance that we always know where they are and when they're due to be there.  

Trudy Bailey, EMEA Payroll and Benefits Manager, Sage Publications

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Proven when it matters most 
 

The Heathrow fire on 21 March 2026 brought one of the world's busiest airports to a standstill, stranding thousands of travellers with no clear path forward. Corporate Traveller customers had a very different experience. 
 

Our emergency team more than doubled weekend capacity, scaling from seven or eight team members to 15 within hours. Voluntary staff stepped in. Additional cover was arranged. And through the entire weekend, from 6pm Friday to 8:30am Monday, 93% of calls were answered in under one minute. 

Read the story

Why proactive planning protects your budget 

Travel disruptions are getting more frequent and harder to predict, driven by staffing shortages and strikes. The financial impact is real: 40% of travellers faced extra expenses from disruptions last year, with 72% of those affected rebooking at 27% higher costs. In the UK, 42% of travellers dealt with weather-related disruptions in 2025. 

The good news? Smart planning can soften the blow. Flexible fares, travel insurance, and cancellation cover are your best defences, which is why 48% of companies made flexible tickets a requirement in 2025. 

A few quick habits go a long way: 

  • Download the airline app and enable notifications for real-time updates on every trip 
  • Keep essential items in your carry-on in case of an overnight delay 
  • Check your flight status regularly, especially in bad weather 
  • Book flexible fares for high-stakes travel where a new flight might be needed fast 

Your team deserves better than crossed fingers 

 
Travel will always throw surprises. What you can control is whether your people face those surprises alone or with an expert in their corner. Corporate Traveller's disruption support gives you the people, the platform, and the peace of mind to keep your team moving safely, whatever happens. 
 

To see how it works book a chat with the team. 
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FAQs

  • What happens when a major disruption affects multiple travellers at once? 

    Our Emergency Assist team scales up rapidly. During the Heathrow airport fire, the team more than doubled its usual weekend capacity within hours, proactively contacting affected travellers and arranging rebooking, alternative routes, and accommodation across the board. 

  • How does Melon help with disruption management? 

    Melon provides real-time alerts and push notifications the moment a potential disruption is detected. Travel Managers can run immediate reports to identify exactly which travellers are affected and where they are, giving your team full visibility and enabling fast, informed decisions. It can also surface alternative flight options and alternative transport, bookable with a single click. 

  • Does my company need to be a certain size to access disruption support? 

    Disruption support is included for all Corporate Traveller clients. Whether you're managing 50 travellers or 2,000, your team gets access to a dedicated Travel Manager, 24/7 emergency support, and Melon's real-time tracking capabilities. 

  • What does duty of care mean in practice? 

    Your business has a legal and moral responsibility to know where your employees are and to support them when things go wrong. Corporate Traveller's duty of care tools let you track traveller whereabouts in real time, run instant reports during serious incidents, and respond quickly if a situation escalates, protecting both employee wellbeing and security. 

  • Is there always a human available, even out of hours? 

    The Emergency Assist team is staffed by real travel experts around the clock, including weekends and public holidays. That human support is the difference between a stranded traveller and a smooth recovery. 

  • Are passengers entitled to a refund if their flight is cancelled? 

    Passengers may be entitled to a full refund or a replacement flight if their original flight is cancelled, depending on the airline and the reason for the disruption. If it's the airline's fault, an EU airline may owe compensation based on flight distance under passenger rights rules. Your dedicated Travel Manager can advise on your options and help manage the claim compensation process where applicable. 

  • What causes most travel disruption? 

    Most disruptions are caused by adverse weather, technical failures, and air traffic control congestion. Unexpected events like storms, floods, staff shortages, and strikes can all delay or cancel flights, and a single incident can create a ripple effect that impacts multiple flights throughout the day.