- June 2009
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- Supplier Spotlight
Current Events
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Credit card usage in international destinations comes at a price
When making credit card purchases in international destinations, travelers may begin noticing additional fees showing up on their statements. It is not a new practice for banks to charge their customers for using their credit card to make purchases in foreign currencies, but some banks are now increasing those fees.
Another fee that is becoming more common is a fee that is assessed for transactions made in a foreign country, even if the transaction is processed in the currency of the traveler’s home country. Travelers may want to research the fees their credit card provider includes on foreign transactions before making purchases abroad.
Sources: The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY
Recovery Act funds awarded for transportation security projects
In May, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the distribution of USD $50 million for safety equipment to modernize baggage screening and enhance security in airports nationwide. These funds represent some of the first dollars spent out of a total of USD $1 billion made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
The majority of the funds have been dedicated to explosive detection systems provided by Reveal Imaging Technologies. Similar to MRI machines in a doctor's office, these enhanced systems quickly scan bags while analyzing explosive content. The systems currently are in more than 200 airports across the country.
The remaining funds have been allotted for advanced technology X-ray units, from Rapiscan Systems, which further provide enhanced screening for carry-on baggage. Since the units are reprogrammable, the new machines can be adapted to developing threats. Roughly 770 systems are currently in place at airports nationwide.
The innovative technology provides a more efficient way to check baggage, limiting the number of bags to be physically opened; and—most importantly—provides enhanced security.
Earlier this year, USD $1 billion of ARRA funds were allocated to support TSA aviation security projects: USD $700 million will be allocated for checked baggage screening efforts and USD $300 million for checkpoint explosives detection technology.
Sources: dhs.gov, gsnmagazine.com, tsa.gov, revealimaging.com, globalsecurity.org, wacotrib.com
