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travelonlinetips-blog · 5 years

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New Post has been published on https://travelonlinetips.com/british-airways-strike-threat-when-would-the-pilot-walkout-happen-and-which-flights-would-be-affected/

British Airways strike threat: When would the pilot walkout happen and which flights would be affected?

Passengers booked on summer flights on British Airways are about to learn whether their travel plans could be torn up by a strike by pilots at BA.

For the past four weeks nearly 4,000 members of flight crew who belong to the British Airline Pilots’ Association (Balpa) have been voting on industrial action in a dispute over pay. This is how the next few days and weeks could play out.

What is the dispute about?

We’ll tell you what’s true. You can form your own view.

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Pay. British Airways says it is offering a pay rise worth 11.5 per cent over three years, well above the rate of inflation. BA says: “We are pleased that the Unite and GMB trade unions, which represent nearly 90 per cent of all British Airways colleagues, have agreed to recommend this fair offer of 11.5 per cent over three years.”

The airline also points to the number of job applications from pilots from other carriers, which it says are running at 1,000 per year, as an indication of how well its pilots are treated.

But Brian Strutton, general secretary of Balpa, says: “BA has been enormously profitable, and the employees should have a fair share of that success which, after all, they produce for the company.”

All but around 500 of the airline’s 4,500 pilots belong to Balpa. The current dispute covers pilots working at Heathrow and Gatwick. It does not involve the CityFlyer operation based at London City.

As the pilots have been voting, sporadic negotiations have been going on between the two sides at the conciliation service Acas, but they broke off on Friday with no evidence of significant programs progress.

What happens next?

The Balpa strike ballot closes at noon on Monday 22 July, with the result expected early afternoon. The union is obliged to inform British Airways and its members first.

History suggests the pilots will vote overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action. This is standard in aviation, and strengthens the negotiators’ hand. No industrial action will be announced immediately, because BA, as is now traditional in industrial disputes, is seeking a High Court injunction against Balpa on the grounds of legal technicalities involving the ballot.

The hearing is scheduled for Tuesday morning.

If BA wins the injunction, Balpa can call another ballot or re-start negotiations.

If the application is rejected, then Balpa is likely to announce industrial action. The union is required two weeks’ notice, which means the earliest any strike could begin is Tuesday 6 August.

While it is decades since British Airways’ pilots went on strike, in other dispute – both at BA and other airlines – is to call industrial action for one or more relatively brief spells rather than an indefinite walk-out.

What is the likely effect of any strike?

It depends how many pilots walk out. Another feature of strikes at British Airways over the past decade – mainly involving cabin crew – is that a significant proportion of union members continue to work.

The airline will endeavour to maintain a near-normal service on some routes, particular on key long-haul links from Heathrow and Mediterranean links from Gatwick, using non-striking pilots.

Routes such as Heathrow-Miami could be particularly prioritised because of the large number of passengers using the link in connection with cruises.

But many of the 700 or so British Airways flights each day could be grounded, affecting tens of thousands of passengers on strike days – and some on “adjacent” days. BA will not roster pilots who are going to strike to, say, Los Angeles if they would not be working on the day they are due to fly back.

Which flights would be cancelled?

The airline is working on its plans, but in order to get as many passengers to their destinations as possible there are some obvious candidates for cancellation – starting with the Singapore-Sydney section of BA’s only Australian route. It consumes a lot of pilot time and alternative carriers are readily available.

Links on which there are frequent flights on British Airways’ partner airlines are also likely to see deep cuts: US points served by American Airlines, Heathrow-Madrid and Gatwick-Barcelona, and of course Heathrow-Doha – where BA’s part-owner, Qatar Airways, has many daily flights.

When would cancellations be announced?

The best guess is: a few days ahead, with the possibility of added “on-the-day” disruption – partly because air-traffic congestion in Europe is likely to delay many flights once again in August.

What options will be offered if my flight is cancelled?

British Airways is obliged, under European air passengers’ rights rules, to get travellers to their destinations as swiftly as possible, buying tickets on other airlines – from easyJet to Emirates – if that is necessary.

The big problem is: many flights are fully booked in August, a peak month for travel.

The airline also has an unlimited duty of care, providing meals and accommodation until the passenger can be transported to their destination. But it will deflect claims for “consequential losses,” such as hotel or rental car expenses that cannot be used.

Will I get compensation?

Last year the Civil Aviation Authority was insistent that Ryanair should pay compensation of €250 or €400 per passenger, depending on the destination, and presumably it will urge any travellers affected by a British Airways strike to do the same; long-haul passengers would be entitled to €600.

I can’t afford to wait to find out if my flight is cancelled. Should I book an alternative now?

No. At present the airline is insisting normal terms and conditions apply for anyone who wants to change or cancel their flight.

Were a strike to be called, it is likely that BA would allow some flexibility to passengers – for example offering full refunds, enabling travellers to seek alternative flights. But already fares on alternative airlines are increasing rapidly, as travellers making fresh arrangements book away from British Airways because of the strike threat. The dispute is already having an impact on bookings, which is a consequence of the strike ballot being called.

Who will blink first?

I sense that British Airways is prepared to take a strike rather than, as BA would see it, cave in. In the cabin crew dispute a decade ago, and more recently with the Mixed Fleet strikes, the airline has taken a relatively hard line.

Surely an August strike would cause untold damage to British Airways’ revenue and profits?

The cost-per-day could run into tens of millions of pounds, involving lost revenue, additional care costs and buying tickets on other airlines, but actually August is the optimum month for a strike from BA’s perspective. Business travel, which bankrolls the British Airways operation, is at a minimum.

Would you buy a ticket on BA from 6 August onwards – and, if so, would you expect to reach your destination?

Yes, and yes. But not necessarily on time.

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trekadvisers · 5 years

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CEOs of Delta, United and American Place Ad Urging Trump to Take Action on Qatar Feud

Courtesy of The Points Guy by Jessica Puckett

The three US legacy carriers can’t let go of their feud with Qatar Airways.

On Tuesday, the CEOs of Delta, United and American Airlines took out a full-page advertisement in both The New York Times and The New York Post that urged President Donald Trump to take action on what they claim are unfair fifth freedom flights that Qatar Airways is operating through its stake in Air Italy.

“In the last few days, Qatar Airways has used its Italian proxy to launch routes to Los Angeles and San Francisco, and added flights to Miami – a further effort to undermine U.S. airlines,” the letter to Trump states. “Simply put, Qatar Airways represents a grave threat to American jobs and the health of the airline industry.”

The letter goes on to say that a “rule-abiding business” can’t compete with a “massively subsidized airline.” The implication here being that through Qatar’s minority 49% stake in Air Italy, it is subsidizing flights and unfairly competing with US airlines for flights from the US to Europe.

The three US airlines had long accused Qatar of unfairly receiving government subsidies to compete in the US market. That dispute ended after Qatar agreed to open its accounting books and agreed it wasn’t planning any routes from the US to destinations outside Qatar, which would be known as “fifth freedom” flights.

“We respectfully encourage your administration to hold Qatar accountable for violating its agreement with the United States and affirm that we will not tolerate these continued infractions,” the letter says, and is signed by Ed Bastian, the CEO of Delta; Doug Parker, CEO of

The accusations the three US airline CEOs are levying would mean Qatar would be circumventing this agreement. But by the standard definition, Air Italy’s flights are not fifth freedom routes because Qatar only holds a minority stake in the carrier. The CEO of Qatar Airways, Akbar Al Baker, has long denied that these flights are fifth freedom.

“This is a lie. This is a straight, white lie,” Al Baker said in response to the accusations in March. “They cannot prove that we are putting a single passenger on Air Italy out of the Qatar Airways network.”

On Tuesday, the CEOs of JetBlue, FedEx and Atlas Air all signed a letter to the Trump Administration “to reiterate our support for Open Skies” policy, arguing that Air Italy’s flights are above board.

Featured photo of Air Italy’s first 737 MAX 8 before delivery in Seattle by Alberto Riva/TPG

Original Article: https://thepointsguy.com/news/ceos-of-delta-united-and-american-place-ad-urging-trump-to-take-action-on-qatar-feud/

Check out the original post here: http://www.jamcosolutionsllc.com/ceos-of-delta-united-and-american-place-ad-urging-trump-to-take-action-on-qatar-feud/

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tripstations · 5 years

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Qatar Airways: Investment in Air Italy fully compliant with US-Qatar Open Skies Agreement

Following recent false accusations relating to Qatar Airways’ shareholding in Air Italy, such baseless statements and consistent inaccuracies need addressing as a matter of urgency.

Qatar Airways holds a 49 percent stake in Air Italy’s parent company, AQA. This minority investment is at the same level that Delta holds in both Virgin Atlantic and Aeromexico, and that Etihad held in Alitalia.

Qatar Airways’ investment in Air Italy, and operations to the United States, are fully compliant with the U.S.-Qatar Open Skies Agreement, the January 2018 U.S.-Qatar Understandings, and a side letter that accompanied the discussions.

Unfounded claims that Qatar Airways’ investment in Air Italy violates the Understandings are entirely false.

As a factual matter, the investment preceded the January 2018 U.S.-Qatar Understandings.

· The investment was announced in a July 2016 press release and was approved in writing by the European Commission (DG Competition) in March 2017.

· The transaction was closed in September 2017.

· The discussions surrounding the Understandings took place in December 2017 and January 2018.

Qatar Airways’ investment in Air Italy was a matter of public knowledge (as were Qatar Airways’ investments in other airlines) at the time of the U.S.-Qatar discussions; airline investments were not raised as a point of concern during those talks. The Understandings do not mention or prohibit cross-border investments of any type.

Furthermore, Qatar Airways does not codeshare on any of Air Italy’s flights to the United States, and has no plans to do so. Qatar Airways is not operating any Fifth Freedom scheduled air services to the U.S.

The “Big 3” U.S. carriers have consistently demonstrated their hostility to new entrants into the U.S.-Europe market, and their attacks on Air Italy based on the identity of its minority shareholder are just another manifestation of this hostility. Air Italy, the carrier the “Big 3” cite as a major “threat” to their survival, has a fleet of just 15 aircraft and only serves one U.S. city – New York – with a daily service while other routes, Miami, Los Angeles and San Francisco are operated at a lower frequency.

The U.S.-Qatar Open Skies Agreement has brought enormous benefits to U.S. and Qatari consumers, businesses and communities. Qatar Airways’ services to the United States contribute to U.S. tourism and business. Qatar Airways is a long-term and loyal customer of Boeing, Gulfstream and General Electric, helping to secure tens of thousands of U.S. jobs through our continued investment in their products and is a valued partner to many other U.S. businesses.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Original Article

The post Qatar Airways: Investment in Air Italy fully compliant with US-Qatar Open Skies Agreement appeared first on Tripstations.

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topfygad · 4 years

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Top Points to do in Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands

This minimal island is what commenced my lust to grow to be an expat. I was lucky adequate to get to dwell there for a few months in 2009 even though volunteering at the only museum in the state. All through that time, I satisfied other expats and I understood that I wanted to dwell abroad. Nonetheless, Grand Turk is my most loved island getaway! Because residing there, I have visited 2 times.

Grand Turk is the ideal spot to have a do almost nothing, beach front getaway. The beaches are pristine with virtually no other people today on them, although you will once in a while meet a cow or a donkey. My beloved beach on the island is the seaside at the Bohio Resort, technically known as Pillory Beach. The sand is tender listed here and the h2o is deep adequate to swim even in the course of very low tide. The resort does not mind if you use the beach both, while you could get a drink or have lunch there. They do have the best rum punch on the island! I also like to walk the seaside and this is a superior seashore to wander from. The beach landscape variations as you head north and you will locate shells and normally see some birds, this sort of as cranes or blue herons, on the walk.

Of system, there are points to do on the island apart from swim and tan. You can head about to the Turks and Caicos Nationwide Museum to see the oldest shipwreck ever located in the western hemisphere. They are ordinarily only open up on days there is a cruise ship in, so examine their internet site for the present agenda. Upstairs they have a small historical past of the islands and a lighthouse lens. You can also get an wonderful see of the Caribbean from up there as the museum faces the ocean!

Grand Turk is effectively recognised in the diving local community as one of the finest coral reef systems. It is the third premier in the world right after the Excellent Barrier Reef and Belize reefs. So if you dive, you can expertise the beauty of the reefs. There are numerous dive retailers on the island and lots of divers go 2 times a working day (I listen to there is even evening diving)! If you don’t dive, do not fear you can see a great deal from snorkeling because the water is so obvious. The moment a barracuda determined to comply with me to see if was a fantastic snack or not! I think he made a decision I was way too large of a snack and he left me by yourself. The dive boats will get snorkelers on the dive excursions and it is also entertaining to look at the divers go off and occur back again.

The bordering waters bring in a vast wide variety of more substantial animal daily life than basically barracudas and reef fish. You can consider a boat to Gibbs Cay, which is about a 30-moment boat experience, to feed stingrays. These stingrays know the sound of boats suggests food items, sadly. They will come correct up to you. I fed them conch from my hand! They brush up in opposition to you and the feeling is unusual. They experience slimy and gentle at the same time. I was scared at initially, but as extended as you do not make any unexpected movements or loud noises, there is nothing to be concerned about. The other thing I really advise is to go on a whale observing boat. In January and February, Humpback Whales come to Grand Turk to give start. They then stay in the shallow waters till the babies are large and powerful more than enough to swim very long distances. On the tour I went on, the whales discovered us and ended up very playful! There were being 4 girls and a person baby. Many people from the tour acquired in the water and swam with them. It was an astounding practical experience to see these mild giants up near.

While there are not a ton of sites to remain on Grand Turk, there are a number of I recommend dependent on what you are looking for! If you want a vacation resort experience, then I suggest the Bohio Dive Vacation resort. Bohio has diverse varieties of rooms to choose from and all have an ocean check out from a balcony or terrace. The rooms are significantly less than a moment walk to the seaside. Bohio also has a pool and a restaurant. If you want a additional apartment like selection, you can stay at the Manta Seashore Property. It is ideal on the h2o and two residences have kitchens. The gain to this site is that it is in town and you could wander to the grocery retail outlet and there is a small seaside throughout the street. My other recommendation is the Osprey Beach front Resort. It is also found right on the seashore and has a pool and a restaurant. Some rooms do have a kitchen area. A few rooms are across the street from the lodge in “The Atrium” upstairs. These are more personal than the hotel, which could possibly be excellent for couples. Each and every of these places either has dive services or is down the street from a dive shop.

Since Grand Turk is so compact, the three destinations I recommend feeding on are all found at the places to remain! Bohio has an fantastic cafe, Guanahani with an astounding chef! On Thursday nights, there is an international night with dishes from all around the world. Make guaranteed to make reservations to get a table on the deck by the seashore. At the Manta Seaside Residence is the Sand Bar, the final seashore shack! They have the very best cheeseburger on the island. When the meals is superior, this is a bar very first and foremost. It is found ideal on the water and is the excellent position to go to have a chilly beer and look at the stunning sunset. The Osprey Beach front Resort has BBQ evenings on Sunday and Wednesday and offers sights of the ocean by their lovely pool. There is generally reside music on individuals evenings as properly.

Receiving to Grand Turk is easy. Fly to the huge of Providenciales from the United States or Canada (most flights are from Dallas, Miami, New York Metropolis or Toronto). Then get a compact aircraft that can take about 25 minutes from Providenciales to Grand Turk. There are two airways that fly there, which are Caicos Convey and Intercaribbean. I’m not ready to propose possibly as they ended up not in procedure when I have been, but I am guaranteed that either would be a great selection.

I hope you really like Grand Turk as a great deal as I do. If you get a likelihood, you can hop more than to some other islands when there, this sort of as Salt Cay or Providenciales. I cannot hold out to pay a visit to all over again!

Created by Tiffany from A Woman and Her Passport. Hello! My name is Tiffany. I am expat who is on an journey of a life time. I moved to Qatar in August 2013 for a new job in higher training. I have lived in Dallas, Lubbock, New York, the Turks and Caicos Islands, New Orleans and Fort Worthy of. My approach when moved right here was to travel as considerably as attainable and given that transferring listed here I have traveled to 10 countries, eleven if you depend Qatar! So observe alongside on my adventures as I explore the globe. You can comply with Tiffany at A Lady and Her Passport & observe her on Twitter & Instagram.

source http://cheaprtravels.com/top-points-to-do-in-grand-turk-turks-and-caicos-islands/

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highher · 2 years

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Miami fl.

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realestate63141 · 7 years

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Trump's Call To Turkey's Erdogan Highlights The Ethical Mess He's Brought To The White House

WASHINGTON ― This week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a referendum in which he narrowly won the ability to claim broad new governmental powers. The referendum was treated by international observers as a grotesque power grab, and the House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman warned “all who value democracy ... should be concerned.”

But President Donald Trump didn’t see it that way. Instead, he phoned Erdogan to congratulate him on the win. Foreign policy experts may have been perplexed at the president’s seeming comfort with creeping authoritarianism. But soon thereafter, explanations emerged.

It wasn’t just that Trump has an affinity for strong men. His family has direct ties to Erdogan himself. Back in April 2012, the Turkish president joined the Trump family at the opening of Trump Towers Istanbul.

Thank you Prime Minister Erdogan for joining us yesterday to celebrate the launch of #TrumpTowers Istanbul!

— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) April 20, 2012

Never before in U.S. history have the president and his private business interests been so entangled with matters of public affairs. Trump’s affairs have led to accusations that he is hopelessly conflicted, ever more so because of his reliance on his children (themselves players in the Trump business empire) to help with his administration.

“We’ve seen an unprecedented number of conflicts of interest stemming from this administration,” said Jordan Libowitz, a spokesman for the ethics watchdog Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. “Are the president’s comments toward Erdogan related to his support for a Trump property? We can’t know, but it’s a question we unfortunately are forced to ask.”

In response to criticisms like these, Trump has insisted that he can act independently, precisely because he has accrued enough wealth to make him incorruptible. But the case of the Turkey referendum exposes another way in which Trump’s past life is now complicating his presidency: He has numerous business-related connections with public officials from other countries with whom he now must conduct public diplomacy.

Take, for example, Trump’s schedule for this week. The president is set to welcome Argentine President Mauricio Macri to the White House in order to discuss “bilateral and regional issues, including the deteriorating situation in Venezuela.”

Macri, the son of a wealthy real estate developer, has known Trump for more than three decades. He and his father sold Trump real estate in Manhattan in the 1980s. “I spent millions of hours with him. How is Trump? He’s like that: a very showoff, very exhibitionist kind of guy,” Macri said in an interview last year. “It’s all an act, from morning till night.”

And when Macri visits the White House, it will be with a specific objective: Argentina is hoping to dramatically expand trade relations with the United States.

Already, the ties between the two leaders have raised questions about Trump’s conduct in office. Last year, the Argentine government denied a report that Trump sought help from Macri in expediting a stalled Trump construction project in Buenos Aires following his election in November.

Argentina isn’t the only nation to which Trump has ties that expand his business and political portfolios. The former president of Panama, Ricardo Martinelli, met with Trump and Donald Trump Jr. years ago to discuss hosting a Trump-run beauty pageant in the country. He was also there for the opening of the Trump Ocean Club, in Punta Pacifica, Panama City, where Trump reportedly referred to him as a “friend.”

Martinelli fled Panama in January 2015 after being accused of insider trading, embezzlement and using public money to illegally spy on people. He is believed to be living in Miami, and the Panama government formally requested his extradition last fall. Despite that request, Martinelli was invited to Trump’s inauguration.

It’s not just Trump’s direct ties to individuals that now complicate his foreign policy. His daughter Ivanka ― who recently took on a formal White House role ― does, too. She traveled to Baku, the capital city of the former Soviet country of Azerbaijan, in 2010 and 2014 for the construction of the Trump Organization’s luxury hotel there.

The point person for that project was Anar Mammadov, the billionaire son of the country’s transportation minister, suspected of laundering money for Iran’s military. Mammadov was included on Trump Organization press releases. At the same time, he was operating as an influence peddler in Washington, running the Azerbaijan lobbying shop there.

The Trump hotel was ripe with corruption, a job so bad The New Yorker magazine recently called it Donald Trump’s “worst deal.” The Trump Organization severed its ties with the project a month after Trump’s election victory.

Another developer, Century Properties chair Jose Antonio, also has close ties to the Trump family. A real estate tycoon in the Philippines, Antonio helped build Trump Tower Manila. Trump’s sons are photographed with him, Ivanka Trump visited the project, and Donald Trump himself praised the Antonio family as “true professionals.” Since then, Antonio has moved into a public role, named special envoy to America by the Philippines’ controversial strongman president, Rodrigo Duterte.

In light of Duterte’s gross human rights record, U.S. policy toward the Philippines has come under sharp review, with calls mounting for withholding military aid to the country. Nevertheless, Trump has heaped praise on Duterte for his anti-drug-trafficking policies, which include vows to kill addicts. Trump has reportedly invited him for a White House visit.

Trump’s ties to prominent foreign business leaders also raise questions. Qatar Airlines, the state-owned airline of Qatar, which is ruled by Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, has had a “corporate campus” in Trump Tower in Manhattan since at least 2008. When the airline began flights to New York in 2007, Trump and his wife Melania attended a party alongside Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker on the red carpet.

Saudi Prince Mutaib bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, a former minister in the Saudi government, and member of the Saudi royal family, reportedly lives in a floor-through Trump Tower apartment.

A trio of prominent Indian developers who helped build the first Trump-branded property in India were recently pictured with Trump and his children in New York when they visited Trump Tower. Those pictures were removed from Twitter shortly after ethics watchdogs raised alarms.

Photos of Trump with Real Estate Partners from India are disappearing from view. No worries. We grabbed them. https://t.co/VlcCyldC05 http://pic.twitter.com/nBdOHXkned

— Eric Lipton (@EricLiptonNYT) November 20, 2016

And in a New Year’s Eve 2017 speech at Mar-A-Lago, Trump gave a shout out to his wealthy Dubai business partner Hussain Sajwani and his family, whom he called “the most beautiful people.”

Sajwani’s company built the Trump International Golf Course in Dubai. “My wife and Ivanka are very good friends,” Sajwani told NBC News. “They send emails. She’s been here to my house. We’ve been in New York having lunch and dinners with them regularly. And, you know, you enjoy working with somebody — it’s not only cold business relation.”

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

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touristguidebuzz · 7 years

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Travel Industry Reacts With Caution and Frustration to New Airline Electronics Ban

A Turkish Airlines Boeing 737 taxis in Manchester, England. Turkish will be affected by both the U.S. and EU electronics bans. Alec Wilson / Flickr

Skift Take: A ban on large electronic devices may be necessary to keep travelers safe, but many in the travel community are not happy with how U.S. and UK authorities announced the new policy. Could we see some tweaks to the rules in the near future?

— Brian Sumers

With the United States and the UK enacting sweeping restrictions on the electronic devices passengers can carry in the cabin on inbound flights, the world’s airlines have reacted publicly as you might expect — with a shrug.

Behind the scenes, carriers might be lobbying governments to loosen regulations on some routes. They know that their most lucrative customers, who generally fly in business and first class, expect to have laptops, tablets, and e-readers with them at all times. They also know baggage handlers are not equipped to handle high-value items, which can easily break at some point between the check-in desk and the cargo hold. Some carriers, especially Qatar Airways, Emirates, and Etihad Airways, may be miffed that they are covered by the U.S. ban — though not the UK one — as their hubs in Doha, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi employ some of the most advanced security techniques and screening in the world.

But in aviation, security and safety are considered sacrosanct, and regulators who enforce rules have massive power over airline operations. As a result, most airlines — even carriers who may believe they have been unfairly targeted — issued banal statements on Tuesday promising to comply. If they’re complaining, they’re saving it for private conversations.

The guidelines announced Tuesday by U.S. and UK officials are similar, though not identical. Both countries say travelers departing some Middle East and North African countries may not bring devices larger than a mobile phone into the cabin. Airlines that do not comply by week’s end will not be permitted to fly to the United States or the UK. Authorities say the rules are vital to promote safety against terrorism, and other countries, including Canada, could adopt similar rules.

The U.S. restriction covers Cairo, Istanbul, Dubai, Kuwait City, Abu Dhabi, and Doha, along with Amman, Jordan; Casablanca, Morocco; and Jeddah and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. No U.S. airlines flies to any of these countries, so American, Delta, and United passengers will not be affected. The U.S. ban is expected to to affect roughly 350 inbound flights per week, according to IATA, an industry trade group.

The UK’s regulation covers flights from Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Tunisia. Several UK airlines, including British Airways and EasyJet, fly from these countries, and their passengers will face the same restrictions as non-UK carriers. IATA estimates the ban will be in effect on roughly 400 weekly flights.

Airlines Warn Passengers

In limited public statements on Tuesday, airlines mostly warned passengers about the new rules, and asked them to be prepared. Like its neighbor Emirates, Etihad Airways said it would begin following the U.S. directive on March 25, just before it is fully implemented.

“Safety and security remain the highest priority for Etihad Airways and we will continue to assist passengers in complying with this directive,” the airline said in a statement.

Turkish Airlines likely will be hurt most from the ban, as it is the largest airline affected by the U.S. and UK directives. From Istanbul, it flies five times per day to London, three times per day to New York JFK and once most days day to Boston, Washington, Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta, and Houston.

But it, too, kept its statement short, as it “kindly inform[ed]” passengers that they will have to check iPads, e-readers, and laptops. However, the Turkish government was less charitable in its characterization of the new rules, with the Turkish Transportation Minister saying, “This isn’t right,” according to Bloomberg.

Meanwhile, IATA, which represents most of the world’s largest airlines and sometimes lobbies on their behalf, said it was working with authorities to “achieve greater clarity” on requirements.

In a speech earlier this month in Washington, D.C., IATA’s Director General, Alexandre de Juniac, said he was “deeply concerned with recent developments that point to a future of restricted borders and protectionism.” Given that these restrictions will make it more difficult for some passengers to cross borders, it is possible IATA eventually will ask regulators to balance the need for security with the desire of airlines to promote free movement. But on Tuesday, IATA said it is focused only on security.

“Safety and security is the top priority of everyone involved in aviation,” the group said in a statement.

The statement also seemed to gently chide officials for the abrupt roll outs of the new policies.

“Airlines comply with government requirements and they can do this most effectively when measures are well coordinated.” IATA said.

Other Insiders Are More Candid

While airlines offered muted public responses, others in the travel industry spoke more freely, with some expressing displeasure with how the new regulations were introduced, even if many said they understood they may be necessary for security reasons.

“Even with security as a justification, it does not absolve authorities of the responsibility to communicate,” Jonathan Grella, U.S. Travel Association executive vice president for public affairs, said in a statement.

He urged the administration to continually reassess the ban to make sure it stays “relevant and effective.”

Grella continued: “We continue to hope that highly visible changes to security protocols in the future will be accompanied by a clear message that the government’s intent is not to suppress, but to secure travel, and that legitimate international business and leisure travelers remain welcomed and valued by the United States.”

In an interview, Global Business Travel Association executive director and chief operating officer Michael McCormick said business travelers are accustomed to dealing with new threats and security measures and generally willing to go through some inconvenience for safety.

“The challenge in this case is twofold: One is that — again — the industry and the marketplace and travelers were surprised in effect by the rollout of this ban; there was no notice,” McCormick said. “Which basically creates a challenge for the travelers that are going to be impacted.”

The other issue, McCormick said, is that employers typically have policies that require traveling workers to keep electronics close all the time.

“It really goes in direct conflict with that travelers are being trained from a risk management perspective, which is basically you never let your electronics out of your sight and you keep them with you at all times,” he said.

“Nobody’s debating or disputing that safety and security [come] first, always,” McCormick said. “If those needs are being met, these issues become very real in terms of people being productive.”

With the ban only being applied to certain countries, McCormick said travelers are left to wonder how that rule might change.

“It creates uncertainty for all travelers, wondering is this going to apply to me, will it apply to me tomorrow, do I need to think differently about how I can even complete my business objectives?” he said. “There’s no context for this.”

In recent years, he said operational changes often came with some advance notice so the association could distribute alerts, guidelines, and generally help travelers prepare. There was no heads up this time, McCormick said.

“It allows our industry, which is solely reliant upon and 100 percent supportive of necessary security measures, to support the process,” McCormick said. “It’s part of the issue that we’ve been facing around the executive orders for the travel ban and now this. It has more implications than beyond just those immediately impacted. Part of the job we’re trying to do in this environment is keep people traveling and keep people on the road and keep business travelers and companies confident about business travel.”

New Corporate Polices Expected

Travel security and risk management company iJet International has been fielding questions from clients since news of the ban started to trickle out Monday.

“Some of the information from the government has been rather vague,” said Max Leitschuh, an international airline safety analyst at the firm. “Definitely a big concern for businesses is sending laptops with their company’s data on it in checked luggage because that is more vulnerable to being stolen than a device in a carryon.”

Corporations are telling travelers on affected trips that their policies will be changed for those specific flights, he said. Leitschuh said he expects companies to consider rerouting travel through countries that are not affected by the ban. A traveler flying on British Airways from Dubai to London to New York is not likely to face the same restrictions as a passenger on a Emirates nonstop flight from Dubai to New York.

At this point, Leitschuh said there’s no good information about how long the ban might be in place. The U.S. government has said only that its ban is expected to remain in place until at least October.

“Since they’re not being very specific about what the threat is, who knows when the threat’s going to be gone?” Leitschuh said.

In a pointed statement, Greeley Koch, executive director of the Association of Corporate Travel Executives, said travelers deserved an explanation for the new security restrictions. He predicted business travelers would be loath to check their devices that hold sensitive information.

“Without any explanation, the United States government banned major electronic devices that constitute the basic tools of business travel from the cabins of flights from select airports in the Middle East,” Koch said in the statement. “But the restrictions make no sense.”

He said if terrorists wanted to use some new technology to carry out an attack, there was nothing to stop them from boarding a flight in another country heading to the U.S. or UK.

“Does the Department of Homeland Security know about a threat so great that it can’t be shared with the business travel industry?” Koch asked. “Or are these latest restrictions about to resonate as the new norm the world over?”

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pacificast · 7 years

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US suspends enforcement of travel ban, DOJ appeals

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department late Saturday filed its appeal of a judge's order temporarily blocking President Donald Trump's refugee and immigration ban, saying it's the "sovereign prerogative" of a president to admit or exclude aliens. The appeal cites a "basic principle that an alien seeking initial admission to the United States requests a privilege and has no constitutional rights regarding his application." The Justice Department is asking that the federal judge's order be stayed pending resolution of the appeal. It says the ban is necessary "to ensure that those approved for admission do not intend to harm Americans and that they have no ties to terrorism." Earlier Saturday, the government officially suspended enforcement of the ban in compliance with the judge's order, which plunged the new administration into a crisis that has challenged both Trump's authority and his ability to fulfill campaign promises. That stand-down marked an extraordinary setback for the White House. Only a week ago, the president had acted to suspend America's refugee program and halt immigration to the US from seven Muslim-majority countries that the government said raise terrorism concerns. As the White House worked to reinstate the ban, Trump mocked US District Judge James Robart, appointed by President George Bush, as a "so-called judge" whose "ridiculous" ruling "will be overturned." He added in a subsequent tweet: "Because the ban was lifted by a judge, many very bad and dangerous people may be pouring into our country. A terrible decision." Trump's direct attack recalled his diatribes during the campaign against a federal judge of Mexican heritage who was overseeing a Trump University case. Justice Department lawyers could be called upon to answer for his words as the travel ban case reaches the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals. The ban has caused unending confusion for many foreigners trying to reach the United States, prompting protests across the United States and leading to multiple court challenges. Demonstrations took place outside the White House, in New York and near Trump's estate in Palm Beach, Florida, where he was spending the weekend and attending an annual American Red Cross fundraising gala. "We'll win," Trump told reporters Saturday night. "For the safety of the country, we'll win." The State Department, after initially saying that as many as 60,000 foreigners from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia or Yemen had their visas canceled, reversed course on Saturday and said they could travel to the US if they had a valid visa. The department on Saturday advised refugee aid agencies that refugees set to travel before Trump signed his order will now be allowed into the United States. A State Department official said in an email obtained by The Associated Press that the government was "focusing on booking refugee travel" through February 17 and working to have arrivals resume as soon as Monday. The Homeland Security Department no longer was directing airlines to prevent visa-holders affected by Trump's order from boarding US-bound planes. The agency said it had "suspended any and all actions" related to putting in place Trump's order, which the White House argued was "intended to protect the homeland." Trump made clear what he thought of Robart's action. "The opinion of this so-called judge, which essentially takes law-enforcement away from our country, is ridiculous and will be overturned," Trump tweeted. "When a country is no longer able to say who can and who cannot come in & out, especially for reasons of safety & security - big trouble!" After a pause of several hours, the president returned to Twitter: "What is our country coming to when a judge can halt a Homeland Security travel ban and anyone, even with bad intentions, can come into U.S.?" Senator Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, criticized Trump for "attempting to bully and disparage yet another federal judge" and said he seemed "intent on precipitating a constitutional crisis." Trump's rhetoric also could put government lawyers defending his order in a tough spot. "Either they have to defend the statements that Judge Robart is a 'so-called judge,' which you can't do, or they have to distance themselves from the president, who is their boss," said University of Pittsburgh law professor Arthur Hellman. With legal challenges pending, two prominent Middle Eastern air carriers announced they would resume carrying passengers from the seven affected countries. Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways, national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, said US-bound travelers from those countries with valid visas would be allowed to board. In Egypt, Cairo airport and airline officials said they have received instructions from the US Customs and Border Protection to suspend President Trump's executive order. Government-backed Qatar Airways is one of a few Mideast airlines operating direct daily flights to multiple American cities. Its US destinations from its Doha hub include New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami and Washington. At New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, volunteer lawyer Renee Paradis said most of the flights involving passengers from the affected countries were to arrive later Saturday. "Anybody who comes here on a visa is supposed to be allowed in, so we would anticipate that somebody who is in the air would be able to land and enter," she said. "Of course, as with everything this week, it remains to be seen what happens on the ground." The executive order has caused chaos within the government and the courts. Trump fired Sally Yates, an Obama administration holdover who was serving as acting attorney general, after she said the Justice Department would not enforce it. In Washington on Saturday, demonstrators chanting "No hate, No fear, Refugees are welcome here" walked from the White House down Pennsylvania Avenue. Hearings have also been held in court challenges nationwide. In arguments to the court, Washington state and Minnesota said the temporary ban and the global suspension of the US refugee program harmed residents and effectively mandated discrimination. Federal attorneys had argued that Congress gave the president authority to make decisions on national security and immigrant entry. But in his written order Friday, Robart said it's not the court's job to "create policy or judge the wisdom of any particular policy promoted by the other two branches," but rather, to make sure that an action taken by the government "comports with our country's laws." (AP) http://dlvr.it/NHq9TQ | #PacificastNewsfeed

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highher · 2 years

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South beach. Miami Beach 🏖 florida

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topfygad · 4 years

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Top Points to do in Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands

from Cheapr Travels https://ift.tt/2vs0Q2r via https://ift.tt/2NIqXKN

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topfygad · 4 years

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Top Points to do in Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands

from Cheapr Travels https://ift.tt/2vs0Q2r via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Cheapr Travels

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