TL;DR
- Hurricane Melissa hit Jamaica yesterday morning with 185mph winds – the strongest Atlantic hurricane to strike the island since records began in 1851.
- Around 8,000 British nationals were on holiday when the storm arrived, with airports closed and no confirmed reopening date.
- Airlines and tour operators moved quickly over the weekend, offering rebookings and refunds to affected passengers.
- Cuba, the Bahamas, and Turks & Caicos are now preparing for Melissa’s next movements over the coming days.
- Travel insurance with natural disaster cover must be purchased before a storm is named – once announced publicly, new policies won’t cover it.
The Story So Far
Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica yesterday morning at around 2:00am local time, bringing winds of 185mph. It’s the strongest Atlantic hurricane to hit the island since weather records began in 1851, and for the thousands of British families on holiday there, it’s been a frightening few days.
Around 8,000 British nationals were on holiday in Jamaica when the storm arrived, with an additional 50,000 dual UK-Jamaican nationals living on the island. The Foreign Office activated a 24/7 crisis centre over the weekend and deployed Rapid Deployment Teams to support British nationals in the region.
The storm intensified rapidly over the weekend, reaching Category 5 status by Sunday morning. Flights between London and Jamaica were cancelled on 27-28 October, and airports across the island remain closed with no confirmed reopening date yet announced.
Hotels have activated emergency protocols, with guests sheltering in reinforced areas while they wait for conditions to improve. Seven deaths have been reported across the wider Caribbean region before Jamaica’s landfall, with casualty assessments still underway on the island as communications remain patchy.
Cuba, the Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos Islands are now preparing for Melissa’s next movements, with evacuation orders in place for coastal and mountainous areas.
What’s Happening with Travel
Airlines moved quickly over the weekend, contacting affected passengers individually and offering rebooking or refund options through their websites and customer service lines.
Cruise ships operating in the Western Caribbean rerouted their itineraries within 48 hours, swapping Eastern Caribbean ports for alternatives like Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Belize. Passengers stayed on board and received updates via onboard announcements.
Hotels and resorts across Jamaica activated Tourism Emergency Operations Centre protocols, coordinating with government agencies to shelter guests safely. Coastal resorts moved guests to inland shelters, while others reinforced buildings and distributed emergency supplies.
Tour operators with ATOL protection offered affected clients either full refunds for cancelled trips or alternative bookings to different destinations or later dates, as required under Package Travel Regulations. Clients whose holidays were disrupted mid-trip received repatriation support and partial refunds where applicable.
Understanding Travel Insurance
ATOL protection covers situations where a tour operator fails to deliver a booked package or goes out of business. It doesn’t cover medical emergencies, lost luggage, or trip cancellations for personal reasons.
Travel insurance with natural disaster cover is what protects clients during hurricanes. Policies typically include trip cancellation if a named storm is forecast to hit a destination within 24-48 hours of departure, trip interruption if evacuation is required mid-trip, additional accommodation costs if clients are stranded, and emergency evacuation if early return home is necessary.
The timing matters: travel insurance must be purchased before a storm is named. Once a storm is identified and announced publicly, it becomes a “known event” and new policies will exclude coverage for that specific storm.
What’s Next for the Caribbean
Jamaica’s recovery will take time. The World Meteorological Organization has called Melissa “the storm of the century” for the island. Early assessments suggest widespread infrastructure damage, weeks without electricity in some areas, and months of reconstruction for coastal resorts. Tourism operations are likely suspended until at least mid-November, pending airport reopening and hotel assessments.
Cuba, the Bahamas, and Turks & Caicos are preparing for Melissa’s arrival over the next 24-48 hours. Eastern Cuba has evacuated 500,000 people from coastal and mountainous areas, while the Bahamas and Turks & Caicos are under hurricane watch.
With 167 flights cancelled across the Caribbean, there’s expected to be a repatriation backlog lasting 7-10 days. Airlines are adding relief flights, but seats will be limited.
Supporting Clients Right Now
For clients with Caribbean travel scheduled for late October through mid-November, a proactive check-in can provide reassurance. For those currently in the region, reaching out via hotel concierge, WhatsApp, SMS, or emergency contacts helps them feel supported. The Foreign Office “Register Your Presence” portal is available at: www.gov.uk/register-with-fcdo.
Clients stranded in Jamaica will likely start making contact on Thursday or Friday (30-31 October) once airports reopen. Having information ready about alternative routes, extended stay options, and insurance claim documentation helps everyone navigate what’s already a stressful situation.
For clients travelling to the Caribbean in November or December, reviewing travel insurance and flexible booking options provides peace of mind without pressure to make immediate decisions.
