We’ve all been there: checked in and ready to go when the board suddenly changes. Flight cancelled. Weather delay. Mechanical issue. It doesn't matter why – what matters is that your carefully orchestrated business trip has just imploded, and you're about to face travel’s greatest stress test: rebooking.

To be fair, you may have missed your flight due to traffic or a meeting running long, but the most immediate point of rebooking is the sheer amount of time it devours.

Mummy Mafojane, General Manager FCM South Africa says that despite today’s technological advances, rebooking can still mean lengthy queues at an airline’s customer service deck – or hours on hold trying to speak to an expert.

“Even the most efficient customer service teams can struggle when things go wrong,” says Mafojane. “This is because busy hubs like Dubai facilitate between 2,000 and 2,500 flights a day – that’s thousands upon thousands of passengers who might need to be reaccommodated, and a serious knock-on effect if more than one flight is delayed or grounded.”

As Mafojane explains, you can’t expect your top executives to know what to do – or have the time to do it. This is because business trips aren’t just about the flights, they’re a veritable web of interconnected reservations and commitments. When the first domino falls, everything else begins to unravel, including onward connections, hotel reservations, shuttle bookings and/or car rentals, and, most importantly, meetings.

The irony is bitter: the very people whose schedules are most valuable are the ones most likely to face delays. This is because they’re typically flying routes with fewer alternatives and tighter connections (including mining, oil and gas execs who are often flying to remote locations).

“Multinational companies with big travel programmes would deal with rebooking nightmares on a daily basis, if they didn’t have a travel management company onboard,” says Mafojane. “Reducing rebooking stress is where TMCs prove their value – and really earn their stripes.”

Often, passengers are at the mercy of flight schedules (for example, if there are limited flights in and out of a destination), and for frequent business travellers already managing fatigue, time zone changes and packed schedules, unexpected disruptions add another layer of stress and exhaustion – especially at 30,000 feet.

But there are ways to ease the pain of rebooking.

Here, Mafojane shares her top tips for travellers and travel bookers alike. In no particular order:

1. Book the first flight out. Earlier departures have more rebooking options throughout the day.

2. Choose hubs over quieter airports. More flight frequency means more alternatives should things go wrong.

3. Book the right fare. The cheapest ticket is often the costliest if you need to rebook. A travel advisor will be able to guide you, but flexible fares with no (or low) change fees are always a good idea.

4. Always buy travel insurance. Today’s policies cover everything from visa delay and denial to changes and cancellations. Just read the small print.

5. Download travel apps. The airline’s app will keep you across all the latest flight, gate and luggage carousel information (even providing a map of the airport so you can get to your gate quickly and easily) – while your TMC’s app will update your flight details and keep all your e-tickets and digital docs in one place.

6. Enable all push notifications. This means you’ll receive cancellation alerts before official announcements.

7. Screenshot your boarding pass. This gives you offline access if networks go down during irregular operations.

8. Keep a copy of your airline loyalty status – for physical proof if apps crash.

9. Build buffer time into itineraries (and allow for extra time at the airport).

10. Carry a portable charger and international adapter – a dead phone will only add to your stress.

Of course, Mafojane’s top tip is to lean on your TMC:

“Managing disruption – especially in today’s climate – is a core business capability. The right travel partner will have the booking platforms, partners, and industry knowledge to manage changes as quickly as possible.”

In isolated cases (for example, you overslept and missed your flight), rebooking is almost instantaneous. In more complicated cases (for example, industrial action affecting an airline’s operations) it might take a little longer.

But TMCs understand airline alliance partnerships (i.e. which carriers will rebook you on competitors), have strong relationships with hotels and ground transport suppliers (and will update your itinerary with ease), and will organise priority lounge access so passengers can pass the time in comfort.

“Rebooking remains one of the last major friction points for today’s business traveller,” says Mafojane. “But it’s a point of pride for TMCs. We want to make it as smooth and seamless as possible.”