Hurricane "Melissa": What to do if you have a trip planned to the South?

Several flights from Montreal-Trudeau Airport have been cancelled due to Hurricane Melissa in the Caribbean. But if yours is still scheduled and you're too worried to travel, here are your options.

The first step is to check if your flight has been cancelled on your airline's website.

"Check the situation before you leave home," warned Éric Boissonneault, vice-president of the Quebec Association of Travel Agents. "Check your status, because things are going to change a lot in the next two or three days."

Photo QMI Agency, JOEL LEMAY

For example, Air Canada indicates on its website that a hurricane warning is in effect for the cities of Kingston and Montego Bay, Jamaica, Holguín, Cuba, as well as for the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Bahamas, and Bermuda. Similar information appears on the websites ofAir Transat and Sunwing .

“Today, we’re dealing with cancelled flights. You should know that if a flight is cancelled, the operator must reimburse you,” added Mr. Boissonneault during an interview at the airport with TVA Nouvelles on Wednesday morning. “If you decide [not to travel] because you’re not comfortable, then you need to have a hurricane-proof policy.”

Eric Boissonneault, vice-president of the Quebec Association of Travel Agents, was interviewed by TVA Nouvelles at Montréal-Trudeau International Airport on Wednesday, October 29, 2025. (Capture/TVA Nouvelles)

This policy may change in the coming days. Therefore, you should check whether your flight is or will be affected by it.

"Each carrier has its own hurricane policy, which is quite broad, because it's the same policy that applies for the entire hurricane season," explained Jacob Charbonneau, co-founder and CEO of volenretard.ca, in an interview with QMI Agency.

The conditions for applying this policy are simple: a hurricane must be declared and your destination must be directly affected by the storm.

"If you haven't travelled yet, we'll offer you different options: either to move the date, or to change the destination, or to take travel credits. That's generally what will be offered," Mr. Charbonneau explained.

Photo taken in his offices at 4905 Boulevard Lapinière, Brossard, QC J4Z 0G2, office 3200 Brossard, Quebec, Canada. In this photo: Jacob Charbonneau PHOTO: MARTIN ALARIE / JOURNAL DE MONTREAL

JACOB CHARBONNEAU of the company (FLIGHT DELAYED) Photo taken in his offices at 4905 Boulevard Lapinière, Brossard, QC J4Z 0G2, office 3200 Brossard, Quebec, Canada. In this photo: Jacob Charbonneau. PHOTO: MARTIN ALARIE / JOURNAL DE MONTREAL. Photo MARTIN ALARIE

However, it is important to remember that if you decide to travel anyway, under the pretext that the destination seems less affected, you lose the right to use the hurricane policy.

Next, for travellers who booked through a travel agency in Quebec, it is sometimes possible to obtain a refund of certain expenses through the Compensation Fund.

"For example, we had a cruise that was leaving. We miss the cruise because of the hurricane or we cannot be at the port of origin on time. These are expenses that can be covered by the Compensation Fund," illustrated Mr. Charbonneau.

Finally, for those not covered by hurricane insurance but too worried to travel, it is recommended to contact their insurer. This applies, for example, if you purchased your airline tickets with a credit card that includes travel insurance or if you purchased any other type of travel insurance.

"There are all insurance options, regardless of what coverage people have purchased, that can offer some compensation," the specialist added. "It really depends on the situation, the carrier, and the hurricane policy."