😠 AI Goes MIA in This Crisis

The war with Iran is exposing the gap between travel brands' AI promises and reality — human agents are handling this big travel disruption. ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­  

View in browser Unsubscribe Monday March 16, 2026 Good morning, readers. Travel brands are counting on humans — more than AI — to assist customers during the latest crisis in the Middle East. Thousands of stranded travelers are dealing with complicated customer service policies. And airlines have charged some travelers departing the Middle East up to 20 times the typical fare.  EVENT Skift Asia Forum Asia's travel leaders are gathering in Bangkok. On April 28-29, Skift Asia Forum brings together the executives shaping the region's next phase of travel growth. Leaders from companies like Hilton, Booking.com, Agoda, and Grab will share how they're scaling demand, navigating disruption, and redefining travel across Asia. If you want to understand where the industry is heading - this is the room to be in. SECURE YOUR SEAT Travel Technology   Adriana Lee Travel Tech Reporter Image by Etihad Airways Travel AI Went MIA in the Middle East Crisis The war with Iran is exposing the gap between travel brands' AI promises and reality — human agents are handling the biggest travel disruption since Covid. Etihad urged customers seeking refunds to manually fill out a form or contact their travel agent. Several AI initiatives that have been heavily marketed are harder to find in emergency directives or policies. The crisis raises a blunt question: After years of AI investment, why do travelers still need to rely on legacy channels? Get The Full Story On Skift Airlines   Meghna Maharishi Airline Reporter Image by SITA Travelers Face Airline Policy Chaos Thousands of travelers stranded across the Middle East and Asia are navigating a maze of airline fee waivers and customer service policies.  How airlines structure their waivers may affect whether customers can receive refunds or rebook flights.  Some Gulf carriers have issued broad waivers removing fare differences and fees for changes throughout March, which could be extended into April. Other carriers have "rolling waivers," which remove fare differences and change fees.  Get The Full Story On Skift Cruises MSC Cruises Tests Whale Research In Alaska Together With   MSC Cruises The cruise line will partner with ORCA to study whale behavior during sailings. Observer onboard MSC Poesia will track whale behavior in real-time Data will guide crew training and future navigation practices get the full story on skift Airlines   Peden Doma Bhutia Asia Editor Image by Etihad Airways Airfare Hikes Out of the Middle East Airlines have been charging travelers stranded in the Middle East up to 20 times a normal fare to get out of the Gulf. Skift's own review of airfares on routes between the UAE and India found huge surges.  A ticket for a March 10 Dubai-Istanbul flight on Flydubai costs $1,737, while a ticket on the same route last March cost just $210.  Sudden capacity losses and higher operating costs are two factors that drive fares higher during a crisis. Get The Full Story On Skift Editor's Picks   Rashaad Jorden Associate Editor/Archivist Airlines Six Years After Covid, the Travel Industry Faces Another Stress Test   Online Travel Who Owns the Customer When OTA Clients Try to Rebook a Flight During the Iran War   Hotels Beckons Bets on Luxury Travelers Wanting Both Privacy and Place   Hotels Minor International Sees Q4 'Uplift' for UAE Bookings After 'Major Cancelations' Get More News On Skift Defining the future of travel. Skift. 35 W 31st St., New York, NY, 10001, USA Follow Us: LinkedIn   |  X   |  Facebook   |  Whatsapp   |  Bluesky   |  Threads You received this because you are subscribed to Newsletter | The Daily from Skift. For Gmail users: If you are using the tabbed inbox, Skift emails may be pushed to the 'Promotions' tab. To get updates from Skift direct to your primary inbox, drag and drop this email to that tab.