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Current Events - September 2008
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RT program drops government threat assessments, moves to approved ID
The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently moved the Registered Traveler (RT) airport security program beyond the 20-airport pilot test and altered RT’s security function. Until now, the program included the requirement for special government pre-screening threat assessments, which is being dropped as it is seen as redundant with the use of the watch list matching that is conducted on every traveler every time they fly. The USD $28 that had been charged to cover the TSA prescreening fee will now be lifted from dues paid for RT new enrollees.
With the elimination of prescreening, the TSA announced that RT membership cards would soon be accepted at airports as official federal identification (ID). The TSA Administrator testified during a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee hearing that…once a photo is placed on the RT card it will be the private sector equivalent of a Real ID, a U.S. Department of Homeland Security rule requiring “minimum security standards” for state-issued drivers’ licenses and ID cards.
Source: www.management.travel
Travel tips during hurricane season
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts this year’s hurricane season to be one of the worst. The season runs from June 1 to November 30, and the government agency now predicts 14 to 18 named storms. Regardless of the warnings, many travelers are still willing to visit destinations in high-risk areas. Below are some tips that will help travelers be safe and prepared.- Check in with the National Weather Service—Review the forecasts and areas of concern. Check to ensure there is not a hurricane in the vicinity, and if there is, stay out of its way. Keep in mind that weather patterns change abruptly, so it’s impossible to determine a storm’s location or approach more than five to seven days in advance.
- Know the most common hurricane locations—The National Hurricane Center currently shows the most intense storms are most likely to hit the Caribbean, southern Louisiana, the Florida panhandle, and the Carolinas. In October the patterns typically tend to shift to Cuba and southern Florida.
- Check flight status in order to be more prepared and ready to change travel schedules as necessary.
- Know the airline’s ticket policy for refunds or changes—Many airlines will allow fliers to cancel a reservation if the travel is within the dates and area of a hurricane. Refer to CWT’s Airline Re-accommodation matrix at www.carlsonwagonlit.com/us, which provides an overview of North American carrier weather re-accommodation policies. For further updates, check the carrier’s Website.
- Book through corporate approved channels in order to be located and communicated with as necessary in the event of an emergency.
- Check on hotel policies—Many hotels offer a hurricane guarantee, which often compensates guests with refund or rebooking options within a certain timeframe.
Additionally, information is readily available to help prepare businesses for an emergency at www.ready.gov or 1-800-BE-READY, or the U.S. Small Business Administration at sba.gov.
Sources: DHS.gov, Forbes.com
