Who you call when the plane doesn’t fly
Safe Harbors CEO offers travelers peace of mind when plans go awry
In 2010, clouds of ash floated over Europe following the eruption of a volcano in Iceland. The poor visibility left many airlines grounded and passengers wondering where to turn.
It was a moment when travel agencies — which appear less relevant in the era of online bookings — could demonstrate their value.
“The ash clouds were drifting east and all flights were canceled, but we were able to redirect people,” said Jay Ellenby, 55, president and CEO of Safe Harbors Business Travel since 1990. “They were trying to get back to the U.S. In some cases, we got them on a train to airports that were open in other parts of Europe.”
In October, Ellenby was elected president of the American Society of Travel Agents, an organization that advocates for the profession.
The clients of his Bel Air-based agency include large universities, high-tech firms, nonprofits and health care companies. Safe Harbors’ 15 employees in Bel Air are among about 52 staff members around the country, including in Florida, Ohio, Tennessee and Texas.
About half of the company’s business is international.
The agency’s website offers tips for business and leisure travelers, such as “be as nice as you can with the airline ticket agents and gate agents” and “download the apps for the airlines you use.”
Safe Harbors, as the name implies, wants to provide clients with peace of mind; to this end it offers them an emergency services phone number.
“Oftentimes, when corporate travelers are traveling, things go wrong,” Ellenby said. “Weather has always been a factor. Now you have different scenarios, such as world unrest.”
And then there is the perpetual challenge of finding the lowest airline fares. Customers may believe they are seeing all their options on travel websites, but some sites exclude certain airlines for various reasons.
“The agents know how to work with the faring and identify the lowest costs,” Ellenby said.
One more tip: If an airline cancels a flight, Ellenby said he quickly gets on his phone.
“If I bought directly from the airline, I’m not going to wait in line,” he said.
Jay Ellenby
Title: Age: Residence: Birthplace: Education: Family: Hobbies: