Don't panic!

0750am Friday 16 July.

My phone rings and on the end a stressed out passenger trapped on the M20 in a traffic queue, following a road accident.
Basic facts:
Check in 0700 am
Their flight departs 10.00am
Check in closes 0900 am

The caller (my customer) pleads - HELP! What shall we do?

Don't panic says I.

They were lucky. They had booked their holiday with myself a travel agent. Not just any Travel Agent mind but a Travel Counsellor. Yes, I was open! Always am for emergencies, and do not charge extra.
Actions:
First , I contacted Emirates Airlines at Gatwick letting them know the problem. It was clear that with the check in desk closing at 0900am the clients chances of catching the flight were slim, particularly as they had booked off airport parking too which requires a minimum of 35 minutes time to park and ride to the departure terminal.

Emirates agreed to keep the check in open until 0910 am.

The next job was to arrange for meet and greet parking so as they could drop their car and run for check in. Not an easy task this as man power is always in demand for this type of premium parking.  Indeed, the first one I tried could not help, but I managed to persuade the second one Maple Manor Parking to help me.

The logistics took some minutes to put in place and payment had to be made etc.

Time now 0850 am
I contacted the client again - how good are mobile phones. I established their whereabouts left instructions with them to meet the car company and then redialed the check in desk to update Emirates on my clients progress.

0910 am - They were closing! I persuaded them to stay open until 0920 am.

0918  am - the clients arrived at check in.

0927 am -  I called the client again to make sure they were through passport control and security. They were scampering down to the departure gate having been fast tracked through security.

10.04 am My phone rang and I received a very relieved call from the client to say they were on board. I knew this as I could hear the captain in the background introducing his crew.

Phew! A close call yes, but you cannot get that on the Internet! or on the high street either, as it is fair to say, as they would not have been open at 0750am.

Welcome to the 4th Travel Emergency Service. Just a phone call or an e-mail away.