Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for travel safety
Canadian Rule Means Smart Packing for U.S.-Bound Travelers
By Linda Tancs
Getting ready to ski in Québec? Or perhaps a visit to Vancouver for the Winter Olympics is in your future. If you’re returning to the U.S., be advised that Transport Canada has put into place a strictly enforced rule of one carry-on bag per passenger. According to the agency’s fact sheet, this article must not exceed the dimensions of a small gym bag–measuring 9 inches, 16 inches and 22 inches. Exempt items include purses, medical equipment, camera bags, baby gear and laptops. Now don’t get tricky with those exemptions. If you pack your life into your laptop bag, then, voilà, you now have your carry-on. Also, you can have either a purse, laptop or camera bag–not all three–as an extra. Save yourself the worries and pack only what you need. Given the enhanced security requirements (to include body imaging as a result of the recent threats at Christmas), your fellow travelers will thank you.
DISCLOSURE OF NO MATERIAL CONNECTION
The author has not received any compensation for writing this content and has no material connection to the brands, topics, products and/or services that are mentioned herein.
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Consumer Reports for Travelers
By Linda Tancs
Anyone who has ever been stranded on an airplane for multiple hours may appreciate the new regulations to take effect requiring airlines to limit tarmac delays and provide basic necessities onboard. These regulations, however, won’t require airlines to post complaint data on their Web sites. For that you should check the monthly Air Travel Consumer Report. There you’ll find a host of information concerning flight delays, mishandled baggage, oversales, consumer complaints related to disability or discrimination, customer service reports to the Transportation Security Administration, and reports related to the loss, injury or death of animals. Check out the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, too, for more information.
DISCLOSURE OF NO MATERIAL CONNECTION
The author has not received any compensation for writing this content and has no material connection to the brands, topics, products and/or services that are mentioned herein.
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Body Scans at Airports Cause Consternation
By Linda Tancs
In light of recent terror threats against the U.S., the Government has renewed interest in the full body scanners deployed in limited release among U.S. airports as previously reported in this blog. Moreover, the Government has requested that international airports around the world adopt the devices as well. London Heathrow will reportedly begin using the machines. Reports from France indicate that the machines will also be in use in some of their airports, initially to search U.S.-bound travelers. Contrary to fears, officials report that the machines do not emit harmful radiation and are safe for pregnant women and those with cancer in their health profile. Of course, health is only one concern; the prospect of one’s contours being up for public inspection has private advocates reeling. Are you ready for your close-up? Let’s hear the views–pro and con.
DISCLOSURE OF NO MATERIAL CONNECTION
The author has not received any compensation for writing this content and has no material connection to the brands, topics, products and/or services that are mentioned herein.
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Petrol Costs Wallop Travelers
By Linda Tancs
The economy may yield more hotel vacancies in Europe than one would otherwise expect, but one thing that hasn’t changed is the cost of petrol, averaging over seven U.S. dollars per gallon in countries like France and Italy. And if you’d bank on using plastic to settle the bill, consider this: your card must have a computer chip in it, technology increasingly adopted in Europe to combat credit and debit card fraud. The use of the card is effectuated by verifying a PIN (personal identification number). It does not appear that any U.S. credit and debit cards currently possess this “chip and PIN” technology for use in Europe. The solution? Buy your petrol with cash on weekdays when an attendant is usually present, and avoid the chip and PIN conundrum you’ll likely encounter on weekends.
DISCLOSURE OF NO MATERIAL CONNECTION
The author has not received any compensation for writing this content and has no material connection to the brands, topics, products and/or services that are mentioned herein.
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Avoid the Sting Off Gibraltar
By Linda Tancs
Swimmers, beware. Over 500 stinging Portuguese Man o’ War have been spotted off Spain’s southern coast near Gibraltar. The sea creature, commonly referred to as a jellyfish, is actually a floating hydrozoan with stinging cells in its tentacles (like a jellyfish) to capture and paralyze prey. Although not generally fatal to humans, the sting is not likely to be forgotten very soon. Have an ice pack handy, just in case.
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Health Alert for Brazil Travelers
By Linda Tancs
Travelers to South America are well aware of the dangers posed by dengue fever, which is currently on the rise in Rio and Bahia. Carried by mosquitoes, symptoms of dengue fever usually begin 7 to 10 days after being bitten and include flu-like symptoms such as high fever, aches and pains and a headache. Covering up and using repellent is paramount as there is no vaccination. Apparently, yellow fever is also on the rise these days, meriting front-page placement on the New York Consulate’s website, urging visitors to obtain a vaccination at least ten days prior to entering the country. Of course, these concerns are in addition to confirmed cases of swine flu, now declared a pandemic by WHO.
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Secure Flight Means Tighter ID Requirements
By Linda Tancs
The Transportation Security Administration recently announced the implementation of its Secure Flight program, an initiative from 9/11 requiring airlines to collect precise identity information to match up against the no-fly and warning lists. The program requires that a party present ID at check-in that matches the name given to the airline when making a reservation. Of paramount concern is whether a problem will arise if a driver’s license or passport omits a middle name or middle initial or some other hiccup in identity that is otherwise revealed on a boarding pass, or vice versa. Perhaps it’s too early to tell what the ramifications of the new rule will be, which ultimately will apply to both domestic and international travel (international rules taking effect in late 2009). The best advice? Have the appropriate ID handy when making that reservation or when instructing your travel agent.
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Healthy Travels
By Linda Tancs
We’re all a bit jittery over the prospect of a swine flu pandemic, which has me thinking about preparedness and the need for public health information, particularly to prevent panic and misinformation. For example, you can’t catch swine flu by eating a pork chop. Period. You can catch it, though, by traveling to a country with a known outbreak, such as Mexico–which is why the U.S. has posted an advisory against nonessential travel there. Can you spot the signs of an infected passenger? Are you prepared for an outbreak? Thankfully, the Centers for Disease Control provides answers to these and other questions. Better safe than sorry.
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Air Traffic Control Gets Facelift
By Linda Tancs
The Miami Herald recently heralded a new development in air traffic control. That would be a satellite-based air traffic control system, the first of its kind in the country, being rolled out at Miami International Airport. But don’t say good-bye to conventional radar just yet. It’s likely to stay in place as back-up to this NextGen air traffic technology. Will the air traffic controllers remain in place as well? This isn’t Star Trek, after all. As one commentator put it, “Technology does not run an enterprise, relationships do.”
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Slow Down, Move Over
By Linda Tancs
In an effort to boost the safety of first responders, over 40 states offer some version of a Slow Down/Move Over law. In a nutshell, drivers are expected to yield the right-of-way or reduce speed when approaching stationary emergency vehicles on highways. Penalties for noncompliance can be pretty stiff, ranging from a misdemeanor to a license suspension if injuries should result. All but New York, Nebraska, Maryland, Hawaii and Connecticut have some form of the law on the books. Check out the testimonial of a Virginia trooper explaining the basis for the law. Save the racing for the speedway.
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