Hurricane Havoc and the Hissy Fit: When Travel Agents Lose It Over an Empty ATM
It’s a truth universally acknowledged that no one is at their best during a natural disaster. But you know who really isn’t? Travel agents who can’t get cash from an ATM after a hurricane. If you’ve ever wondered what happens when a hurricane meets hotel guest entitlement, buckle up—this wild tale from r/TalesFromTheFrontDesk will have you alternately facepalming and cackling.
Picture this: You’re just out of college, working the front desk at a posh resort, and a hurricane has just blown through. The roof is (mostly) intact, guests are safe, and you’re running on adrenaline and hotel coffee. Amid the chaos, a group of evacuated travel agents arrive, and that’s when things get… stormy.
The Calm Before the Tantrum
The morning after the hurricane, the resort is a flurry of activity. Staff are stretched thin, comforting frazzled guests, fielding refund requests (“I’d like to speak to the manager of the weather, please”), and generally doing their best to keep things running. Enter two travel agents—let’s call them Tall and Short—who look like they’ve just lost a bidding war on a five-star suite.
Tall has a bone to pick: the ATM across the street is empty. (Apparently, hurricanes are supposed to leave the cash machines untouched and fully stocked.) Short, meanwhile, is already at a full boil. They want a cash advance. The polite, by-the-book front desk agent explains that it’s against policy, but offers to check with a supervisor.
And that’s when Short goes full toddler-at-naptime.
A Tantrum Fit for the Lobby
Short’s fists begin pounding on the marble lobby table. He’s so worked up that a manager actually offers him cash from her own purse. (Let’s take a moment to appreciate the sheer level of hospitality here.) But Short is having none of it—he’s too busy invading personal space and yelling to listen.
Luckily, a tall, male coworker steps in. He doesn’t say a word; he just stands there, radiating “don’t mess with the staff” energy. Miraculously, Short calms down, but not before drawing a crowd of their travel agent peers—none of whom seem eager to defend the outburst, but all of whom radiate the same entitled attitude.
When Enough Is Enough
Now, in the luxury hotel world, travel agents are usually treated like royalty. But even the most accommodating GM has limits. Fed up, the GM orders the entire group’s room keys deactivated and tells the staff to kick them out. Not just Tall and Short—the whole entitled bunch.
Cue the outrage. The other agents try to distance themselves from Short, claiming he’s just “on the same trip.” Sorry, folks, group guilt by association—especially when you’ve been loudly declaring how much better your now-destroyed former resort was.
The Sweetest Irony
As they discover their locked rooms, the tune changes. Short calls down, suddenly polite as can be, asking if someone could “be a dear” and let him in. Security, already busy with actual hurricane fallout, monitors him on camera and decides he’s not a threat—just a minor nuisance.
It’s a rare and satisfying moment of hotel karma: The guests who acted like the world owed them cash, comfort, and concierge-level attention (even in a crisis) get shown the door. Meanwhile, the staff, battered by weather and whining, get a much-needed win.
What Can We Learn From All This?
There are a few lessons here, both for travelers and those in hospitality:
- Disasters put things in perspective. Hotel policies exist for a reason—especially when the world is literally falling apart outside.
- Kindness goes a long way. The staff bent over backwards to help, even offering personal cash. Entitlement, however, gets you nowhere fast.
- Don’t mess with the front desk. Especially during hurricane season.
To all the hotel warriors out there dealing with impossible guests and impossible weather: We salute you. And to anyone thinking about throwing a tantrum over an empty ATM after a hurricane—maybe pack a little extra patience (and some cash) next time.
Have you ever witnessed—or survived—a guest meltdown? Share your wildest hospitality stories in the comments below!
Inspired by this story from Reddit.
Original Reddit Post: Travel Agents Tantrums Because the ATM Is Empty After Hurricane