US and Canada sales remain strong despite wildfires causing reduced visibility and airport delays.
Smoke from 400 fires across Canada affected much of the East Coast last week, triggering air quality alerts and delaying flights at major New York airports, Philadelphia International Airport and elsewhere from the East Coast to the Midwest.
The trade reported minor operational issues and some customer queries but said the fires had failed to dampen enthusiasm for the US and Canada.
Abta sent out a bulletin to alert members, while firms kept a “watching brief” as the fires raged.
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USAirtours reported a “small increase in enquiries” to amend dates and itineraries but no cancellations, with sales currently ahead of 2019.
Chief executive Guy Novik predicted minor changes in travel habits due to extreme weather.
He said: “We’ve dealt with weather and incident-related disruption for decades and it does not put people off. If weather patterns become more extreme, we may see customers change when they visit a destination.”
Under the 2018 Package Travel Regulations, customers can cancel and demand a full refund in extraordinary circumstances.
But Novik added: “Unless the situation worsens considerably and there is a threat to life, I don’t expect the fires to trigger a ‘major change’ under the PTRs.”
First Class Holidays managing director Dan Gathercole said the fallout had been minimal. “Apart from a few operational headaches on the ground, it hasn’t impacted anything,” he said, adding: “Sales for Canada are really strong.”
Canadian Affair said it was monitoring the situation, adding: “The protection of agents and customers is our top priority.”
Jacqueline Dobson, president of Barrhead Travel, cited “minimum disruption to bookings and demand” but said: “Some customers have naturally had queries. We’re updating clients with imminent itineraries.”
Ken Garrity Travel director Ken Garrity said: “It’s nothing new: we had fires in the US last year and Australia a few years ago.”
Last week, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration declared an El Nino, a natural climate phenomenon, was now under way, making warmer, more extreme weather likely this year.
Picture: Shutterstock / Yuriyt