MIDTOWN — Frequent-flying commitment-phobes, have no fear — a Midtown finance guru has launched a luxury travel agency specializing in mid-travel changes to the itinerary.
"When I travel with my friends or my boyfriend or my mom, I don't like to plan too far in advance," said Yana Kemelman, the 27-year-old founder of Obliko Morale. "You never know how it's going to go, and you never know what it's going to be like."
Kemelman, who once changed a planned trip to Bangkok while sitting in an airplane on the tarmac in Shanghai, said she's flown to 32 countries in the past seven years. For her clients at Obliko Morale, she books trips that range from about $1,500 to $3,000 per week — including airfare and lodging — plus a $75-per-day fee for her services.
Changes on the fly come with some additional charge, but also the peace of mind knowing that any challenges with booking last-minute transit and hotels will be taken care of.
"It makes it easier," she said, "and you can actually find some good last-minute deals, so the prices don't differ that much."
Kemelman, who named her one-woman company for a Russian idiom associated with travel, started Obliko Morale last month. She said she's currently arranging trips to Europe for "a handful" of clients she found through friends and colleagues.
"Nowadays, everyone is really easygoing and go-with-the-flow," she said. "Young people especially don't want to make plans too far in advance."