More often than not, it’s the little things that can “trip up” a business trip and make it a lot less productive than you would like. Luggage that’s gone MIA, misplacing your passport, running out of cash— you know, the types of things that aren’t life threatening, but can be time consuming, costly and downright annoying. And while you know On Call is your one-stop resource for major travel problems like a serious illness or political disaster did you know we also provide assistance for your everyday travel concerns as well? So if you’re sick of sweating the “small stuff,” check out some of the most common travel snags …and how we can help prevent these snags from derailing your trip:
1. Lost Luggage: Losing luggage is an unfortunate way to start a trip and an equally bad way to end one. Luckily, according to the Department of Transportation, only 2% of luggage mishandled by airlines is forever lost or unclaimed. Keep your cool and call us – you may have lost your bag, but there is no need to lose your mind.
2. Minor Illnesses: What do you do when you’re not sick enough to see a doctor, but you need a medical professional’s input so you can get on with your travels? You call our 24-hour Nurse Helpline, of course! While not every illness or injury warrants a trip to the ER or doctor’s office, it’s always smart to be cautious and talk to a nurse anytime you’re not feeling well.
3. Missing Passport: There’s no eloquent way to put it — a missing passport is a pain in the …well, you know. It involves filing a police report, finding a U.S. embassy, applying for a temporary passport and possibly even rescheduling your travel plans if the application process delays your trip. Sound like fun? We think not. Thankfully, On Call members have us to assist them through this entire process. Now that’s a sigh of relief!
4. Missed Flight: You’re traveling to an important business meeting and you get stuck at the office, missing your flight. While you’re no stranger to travel delays, actually missing your flight is a whole different story. No problem – give us a call and we’ll start damage control immediately! We don’t want you spending your entire afternoon in line or on the phone rearranging your trip—leave that to us!
5. Weather Delays: Whether you’re traveling in the summer or winter, weather-related travel delays are a real drag. Luckily, we can help you find alternate flights and book hotel accommodations if you get stuck.
6. Lost/Stolen Wallet: Losing your wallet — especially in a foreign country — can be a little scary. We offer language interpretation services (especially helpful if you’re having language barriers with local authorities) as well as emergency travel funds assistance so you can get back on your way faster and less stressed.
7. Prescription Refills: Pharmaceutical laws and regulations vary by country, so getting a prescription on foreign soil isn’t always as simple as it sounds. In fact, doctors in one country can’t necessarily prescribe a medicine in another country. The closest U.S. Embassy or Consulate can be a helpful resource in these situations, but the simplest and fastest way to get your prescriptions replaced is by contacting us.
8. Medical Referrals: Even if your symptoms aren’t serious, you may still need to see a doctor. You could try a local walk-in-clinic, but how do you know you’ll receive quality care or whether they’ll speak English? Play it safe and call us. We can locate the nearest English-speaking doctors and provide you with their names, addresses and telephone numbers so you know exactly how to find them — we can even help you schedule the appointment!
9. No Cash: You ran out of cash and you forgot your ATM card. No problem! We can contact your family, friends, employer, university etc. to secure the funds and wire the money directly to you through Western Union—you can pick up the money at one of Western Union’s many pickup locations worldwide.
10. International Phone Calls: Placing a call from abroad can be a tad tricky…and if you need emergency travel assistance, you need to dial fast without worrying about the details. So put down those smartphones (and save yourself those expensive phone bills!), because as an On Call member, you can call us collect from anywhere in the world!
Want to learn more?
On Call’s clients are encouraged to consult with us for the most up-to-date information on their destinations and recommendations around risk prevention and travel health planning. For everyone else, please feel free to get in touch with us for more information, as well as how On Call can help protect your travelers with our customized travel risk management and assistance programs.
For over 25 years, On Call International has provided fully-customized travel risk management and global assistance services protecting millions of travelers, their families, and their organizations. Contact us today and watch our video to learn more. You can also stay in touch with On Call’s in-house risk management, travel health and security experts by signing up for our quarterly Travel Risk Management (TRM) newsletter.
