Travel has always lived alongside uncertainty.

Travel is sometimes called the industry of human happiness, which is true in many ways. But part of the privilege of working in travel is accepting that, from time to time, situations arise that disrupt people’s plans and require calm judgement and swift action.

The recent conflict involving Iran is one such situation.

Before anything else, it is important to acknowledge that travel disruption is a very small concern compared with the human cost of war. Our thoughts are with those directly affected, including the families who lost daughters in the awful attack on the school on the first day of the conflict, and all the other innocent victims caught up in events.

Our responsibility, however, is to look after the travellers who have trusted us with their plans.

The moment it became clear that the situation had escalated, particularly when strikes affected key aviation hubs such as Dubai and Qatar, we moved to a heightened internal alert. At the time, we had clients in Doha, as well as travellers in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Thailand whose routes home were suddenly uncertain.

What followed was a long and demanding week for the crisis team.

Working closely with airlines and our trade partners, monitoring developments constantly, and spending many hours reworking flight options, we were able to reroute most clients and keep their holidays intact. Those already travelling were able to continue their trips and, importantly, everyone has now returned home safely.

In some cases, this required alternative routes, additional hotel nights and considerable behind-the-scenes coordination. We absorbed many of those costs ourselves and offered full cancellation options for clients who were unable to travel.

One of the reassuring aspects of moments like this is seeing how the specialist travel community works together. As members of AITO, The Specialist Travel Association, we were in constant contact with fellow operators, sharing information and, in some cases, collaborating on solutions such as charter flights. It is a part of the industry that understands the importance of properly looking after travellers.

I should also acknowledge the extraordinary work of our own team. Melissa, our co-founder and Product Director, has been navigating crises like this since the aftermath of 9/11, through the Icelandic ash cloud, the Sri Lankan Easter attacks and the complexities of the Covid years. Alongside colleagues including Nick, Alex and James, she helped ensure that every traveller was accounted for and supported.

Beyond business, travel matters deeply to us. We believe that expanding horizons, forging connections and giving people access to some of the most generous, interesting and life-expanding experiences in the world matters now more than ever.

The natural question, of course, is where things stand now.

At present, travel across South and Southeast Asia continues to operate normally, and our clients currently travelling in the region, including those in Oman over the past week, are enjoying their trips very much. Where airline routes have changed, we have successfully rebooked travellers onto alternative carriers such as SriLankan Airlines, Air India, British Airways, Turkish Airlines and Thai Airways.

For those considering travel in the months ahead, we understand that people may prefer a little flexibility while the situation evolves. For that reason, we are offering lower, temporarily fully refundable deposits on new bookings and, as always, if official government advice were to change in a way that affected travel, we would of course refund in full.

In other words, thoughtful travel planning remains entirely possible.

Finally, I would like to thank our clients for their patience and understanding while we worked through the disruption. Travelling to Asia is often the most significant holiday people take in a year, sometimes the most important journey they have been planning for a long time.

We never forget that responsibility.

If you are considering travel to Asia in the months ahead and would simply like to talk through the current situation, our team is always happy to offer honest advice. Sometimes a short conversation is the easiest way to understand what is possible and what might make sense for you.

Thank you for placing that trust in us.