Travel

4/3/2008 -- The following statement was delivered by Senator Clinton at a press availability in Burbank, California this afternoon:

"I want to start by talking about a very troubling development that has come to light in regard to airline safety and regulation. This week we are learning a number of very problematic things about airline safety and about the Federal Aviation Administration’s approach to policing the airline industry. Southwest Airlines has a lot to answer for.

Southwest Airlines aircraft maintenance at Chicago's Midway Airport: Photo by Jim Wissemes (CC)    » read more »

Schumer Applauds DHS' Decision to Follow Congressional Mandate that Postpones Passport Requirements for Western New Yorkers Until June 1, 2009

March 31, 2008 -- DHS Recently Announced that the Final Rules on Implementation of WHTI Will Postpone Until June 1, 2009 Any Requirement for Travelers Crossing NYS' Northern Border to Carry a Passport Schumer Pledges to Continue Pushing to Ensure DHS Doesn't Jump the Gun in Implementing an Unreasonable Plan without Adequate Security or Technology Senator Warns Forcing Western New York Residents to Carry Passp    » read more »

Leads Delegation on Economic Development Mission; Will Open Georgia Center in China

March 30, 2008 -- ATLANTA – Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue departed from Atlanta today on Delta’s inaugural non-stop flight to Shanghai, China. Governor Perdue is leading a delegation of business, academic and government officials from Georgia on a week long economic development mission to Shanghai and Beijing.

Delta Airlines Boeing 777-200LR

“This is the first direct link to China from the Southeastern U.S., and the only nonstop link from the U.S. East Coast to Shanghai,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “This is a great honor for our state, and for Delta, our hometown airline.”    » read more »

March 27, 2008 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Department of State (DOS) announced today the final rule for the land and sea portion of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), a core 9/11 Commission recommendation.

The WHTI final rule requires travelers to present a passport or other approved secure document denoting citizenship and identity for all land and sea travel into the United States. WHTI establishes document requirements for travelers entering the United States who were previously exempt, including citizens of the U.S., Canada and Bermuda. These document requirements will be effective June 1, 2009.    » read more »

30 March 2008 -- Passport-free travel in Europe has expanded further as border checks at airports in nine mainly former Communist countries have disappeared. Sunday's move allows 400 million people unlimited travel in what is known as the "Schengen zone."

Starting Sunday, citizens of Europe's 24-country "Schengen zone" are no longer required to undergo passport checks at airports in Malta and eight other European Union countries that joined the EU in 2004. Among them are ex-communist Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Slovenia.    » read more »

March 17, 2008 -- U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Michael Chertoff signed today Visa Waiver Program (VWP) Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with Slovak Minister of the Interior Robert Kaliňák, Hungarian Ambassador Ferenc Somogyi and Lithuanian Ambassador Audrius Brūzga. The security enhancements outlined in the agreements put all three countries on track for visa-free travel to the U.S., and potential designation as VWP members later this year.    » read more »

March 17, 2008 -- Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer and John Ensign introduced legislation today that would revise an arbitrary restriction on Washington’s Reagan National Airport (DCA) that limits competition and reduces choices for air travelers.    » read more »

American Heritage Tours’ owner failed to provide trips; lawsuit seeks refunds and penalties

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (March 13, 2008) – New York Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the filing of a lawsuit against a Connecticut-based travel and tour provider who repeatedly defrauded consumers, including several senior citizen groups.    » read more »

March 12, 2008 -- U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Michael Chertoff signed today Visa Waiver Program (VWP) Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with Estonian Minister of Internal Affairs Juri Pihl in Tallinn, Estonia, and with Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Maris Riekstins in Riga, Latvia. The agreements outline security enhancements that put both countries on the path toward visa-free travel to the U.S., and possible designation as VWP members later this year.    » read more »

Switzerland, Austria and Germany still top the rankings

Geneva, Switzerland, 4 March 2008 – Switzerland, Austria and Germany have the most attractive environments for developing the travel and tourism industry, according to the second annual Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2008, released today by the World Economic Forum. Australia, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States, Sweden, Canada and France complete the top-10 list.    » read more »

February 13, 2008 -- Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced today that it has begun collecting additional fingerprints from international visitors arriving at Miami International Airport (Miami). The change is part of the department’s upgrade from two- to 10-fingerprint collection to enhance security and facilitate legitimate travel by more accurately and efficiently establishing and verifying visitors’ identities.    » read more »

12 February 2008 -- French air traffic controllers are in the second of a planned five-day strike that has disrupted some flights at Paris-Orly airport.

Half of the flights leaving Orly were canceled Tuesday morning, while others experienced delays. Air traffic is reported normal at Charles de Gaulle airport.

The communist-led General Labor Federation union called the strike to protest government plans to centralize air traffic control for the Paris region at a single site.    » read more »

Tuesday, February 5, 2008 -- U.S. airlines experienced a lower rate of on-time flights and more reports of mishandled baggage last year than in 2006, and passengers filed more complaints with the government about airline service than they did the previous year, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Air Travel Consumer Report which was issued today.    » read more »

January 31, 2008 -- WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reminds the traveling public that U.S. and Canadian citizens ages 19 and older should no longer expect that they will be able to prove identity and citizenship by relying on an oral declaration alone. Instead, travelers will be asked to present documents from one of the options below when entering the United States at land or sea ports of entry. Travelers who do not present one of the documents listed below may be delayed as U.S.    » read more »

- Nickelodeon Takes to the Seas on its First-Ever Cruise, Sailing August 2008
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