Archive for February, 2011

Back in June we saw hope when the U.S. Department of Transportation released an early version of rules and regulations that will be put in place to protect stranded passengers. Topics discussed included a bunch of issues from how airline companies repay people that were sold tickets on oversold flights to how luggage fees are displayed on carrier websites. Now it is February, and according to an article in The Baltimore Sun, we are being told that April is when we can actually see a final version released or so they claim. Officials are still in talks over fines and penalties for passengers that are made to idle for 180 minutes or more on domestic flights in small/medium airport hubs. Come April more issues will magically pop up. Cynical? Maybe but lets wait until its actually released. Whatever the talks may be it seems passengers are left stranded once again…

Source: http://www.baltimoresun.com/topic/ct-biz-0214-tarmac-delays-20110214,0,686308.story?track=rss-topicgallery

As discussed in a previous blog post the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) is under a lot of pressure to implement a program to alleviate unnecessary screenings for trusted and respected travelers. As the TSA works tirelessly on finding a way to create an adequate and efficient traveler trust program, a few articles have already started hinting at some of the procedures and processes involved with the programs logistics. The concept that we have come to know is a 3-tier approach to security. Travelers are classified as either a Trusted Traveler, Regular or Risk.

According to an article posted on Flying with Fish (a blog about flying) the 3-tier program works like this:

The Trusted Travelers, would be those who submit to a complete background check, much like those under the previous Registered Traveler program, and similar to the current Global Entry program that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (US CBP)has in place at international airports. US CBP’s Global Entry program allows those who have undergone a background check to bypass the lines at passport control and use a kiosk to enter the country.   With the TSA’s projected Trusted Traveler program, a traveler who has been verified would receive a ‘lighter’ search,  use a walk-through-metal-detector instead of an Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) scanner and in theory be able to keep their shoes on and their laptop in the bag.”

A “Regular” traveler would undergo the standard security procedures in place today.

A “Risk” traveler would receive a more thorough search of their clothing, baggage and potentially be asked a series of questions.

However, many are skeptical of this approach and feel a lot of roads need to be crossed in order for it to be an adequate and safe system. The same article goes through multiple steps that need to be addressed before a new program is implemented:

• Being able to positively identify each traveler and matching them to their boarding pass
• “IT issues associated with having a live stream of data of all passenger information coming into each and every TSA checkpoint.”
• IT-Hardware needs – “hardware needs a budget of hundreds of millions of dollars … something the TSA does not presently have in its budget.”
• Logistics – “The physical altering of security checkpoints at airports to allow for the three-tier screening to be carried out.”

And of course, “Who would perform the passenger background checks for the Trusted Traveler system and who would determine a ‘Regular’ vs ‘Risk’ passenger?”  The “Who?” and “Where?” seem to be the biggest issues – government agency or independent contractors? How will the information be secured? How will it be payed for?

These questions and many more are on everyone’s minds considering the TSA has yet to answer any of these questions. It is only a matter of time before any of this becomes a “TSA just talks” game.

Be sure to keep reading the Sundance Vacations blog as we are going to update you as information is released.

Source: http://boardingarea.com/blogs/flyingwithfish/2011/02/10/can-the-tsa-create-a-viable-trusted-traveler-program/

In order to be transparent and open, we decided to crawl the web in search of actual customer experiences with Sundance Vacations. We found an experience that dates back a few years but is completely unbiased so we thought we would publish it for our clients and potential clients…

Registered Online with the certificate on July 31, 2007

August 8, 2007: I received a letter in my email for the $50.00 deposit remittance coupon. Then a letter was also written by Spirit on August 1, 2007 (received 8/9/07) and sent to my home regarding the deposit and confirming my initial registration with the certificate. The letter also stated that I had one year to use the certificate from the date of registration. I mailed deposit that day.

August 16, 2007: Received a letter from Spirit confirming receipt of my deposit. In the letter, it provides you with a link/website to visit to begin the vacation selection process. It stated that once I picked my dates and Spirit received them, then a travel consultant would call me within 21 days. The letter also explained the option of upgrading the trip. Additional nights, upgraded hotel accommodations, and expanded airline schedules. I immediately went online and submitted my selected travel dates.

1.You must select a dates between Sunday and Wednesday only.
2.Once you put in the first date, the system then narrows your options further.

I started with October 21st -23rd of 2007 (not my preferred date, but started there)
Then computer asked me to pick between December 2-4th, 9th-11th and January
6th-8th, 13th-15th, and also some dates in February. So they give you dates to choose.
I was pleased because I initially wanted to go on the trip Jan 6th-8th to begin with.

Then, I was told that a representative would call me regarding my travel arrangements within 21 days. I spoke to someone on September 10, 2007. We talked about availability and cost. They told me they had my January dates available for me. At that moment, she said I had to book right then and there and be prepared to pay as well, but I was not. I had something important going on at work, and could not stay on the line for 30 minutes. They ask you if you have 20-30 minutes to wait around while they check availability. She then told me I would have to call the customer service department when ready to book.

I called at least once a week from late September 2007 on, until November 20th, 2007 when “Elaine” called me at my work number. She asked me if I had the 20-30 minutes to talk with her and I accepted, due to the fact that I did not receive a call back for a long time before and wanted to finalize the trip. This process was the only difficulty. It took longer than expected for someone to get back to me.

First, she went over the taxes of the trip and then the upgrade options: additional nights, expanded airline options, and upgraded hotel accommodations. She said if you upgrade to an additional night, including rearranging the airline flight, it would be an extra $125.00 person. That price included the additional night as well as a changed flight. Then the taxes, which we do not disclose from our customers, are always anywhere from $45-65.00 a person.

If you chose not to upgrade, she told me, you would only have to pay $132.16 for the airline taxes of the trip. I said that would be fine, let’s book January 6th-8th, 2008. She then asks you to hold so she can book everything. I was on hold about 10 minutes. She came back and told me my flight information:

Depart DAY on 1/6/08 @ 7:03pm, Arrive in Atlanta @ 8:38pm, Leave Atlanta @ 9:20pm,
Arrive in Orlando @ 10:24pm. (So you get there on first day late at night).

Depart Orlando @ 6:00am on 1/8/08, Arrive in Atlanta @ 7:27am,
Leave Atlanta @ 8:15am, Arrive in Dayton @ 9:44am.

The Hotel in Orlando would be the Ramada Plaza Gateway

I put her on hold to speak with someone regarding the trip. At that point, I wanted to see what the cost of upgrading and what it entails would be. So you only actually get less than one day in Orlando, if you have to be at the airport by 4:00 am.

Cost of upgrade: $312.00. This included extra night in hotel, and much better flight times(3 full nights in hotel, and perfect flight times for us). This cost included the “airline taxes and all other fees as well.” New Schedule would be as follows:

Depart DAY on 1/6/08 @ 8:05am Arrive in MCO (Orlando) @ 10:11am.
Depart MCO on 1/9/08 @ 6:22pm, Arrive in DAY @ 8:25pm.

The Hotel would also be the Ramada Gateway Kissimmee(one mile from Disney)

Accepted upgrade, received an email from “Elaine Garcia” at Spirit Incentives that day with all of my travel confirmations: A Confirmation from Air Tran Airways, and the Ramada which I was to print off and take with me. A few days before the trip I called Air Tran to confirm my flight, and all was set. I did the same with the Hotel and all was set as well.

If you are paying airline taxes anyway ranging from $60-100+ a person, why not upgrade for just one more hundred dollars to make it more memorable. Everything went smoothly.

The hotel (Ramada Gateway Kissimmee) was very nice for what I was paying and how many nights we ended up staying. There were a few pools, game rooms, 2 restaurants, shuttle service to the parks, and other restaurants and activities close by. Disney was less than a mile from hotel. My advise would be to upgrade if you can. It was well worth it.

Spirit was very accommodating after that point as well. The back of the certificates are key. I have read the terms and conditions on these several times, if people read them, and follow the instructions word for word this is simple.

According to an article posted on the New York Times website this week, tough airport screening procedures may get a face lift. After much scrutiny over security check point screenings at airports many different organizations (U.S. Travel Association and International Air Transport Association were specifically quoted) are proposing new procedures be put in place to give certain travelers the right to bypass those annoying and sometimes very intrusive airport screenings.

The article states that, “A crucial part of the group’s ‘checkpoint of the future’ proposal, and similar plans under discussion by other industry organizations, is creating a trusted traveler program that would allow passengers to undergo a background check to gain access to an expedited security lane at the airport.” The article goes on to say that travelers that want to be apart of the program will have to go through an application process, which will have certain fees attached to it, but in the end the travelers that are approved will be clear from the intrusive airport screenings.

Even though there are proposals on the table, the risks are not very far away. The fact that every country is different and has their own needs and resources, costs associated with making travelers feel safe and the ability to keep a certain level of privacy and protection of individual rights are all concerns that make changing the current procedures a long process. Making sure every “t” is crossed and “i” is dotted is a big deal when it comes to airport security.

While there are risks about creating a program like this; John Pistole, head of the TSA (Transportation Security Administration), is open to ideas and understands the need for a trusted travelers program. A spokesman from the TSA said, “If people have ideas, [John Pistole] wants to hear them because he’s looking at ways to make changes.” Robert Poole, director of transportation policy at the Reason Foundation finished the article by being quoted saying, “For the first time since 9/11, I think we have the conditions where it might be politically possible to have a serious debate about [airport security]”

Read the full article here – http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/08/business/08security.html?_r=1

Despite travel falling as the largest target for fraud, the industry still deals with it on a daily basis with thousands of people ending up being the victims of credit card fraud. In order to prevent fraud from happening to you while you are on vacation, we put together a researched list of tips that can help you avoid credit card fraud:

• Use only one credit card while traveling.
• Keep a second one close by but in a safe place just in case the credit card you are using gets stolen.
• Keep all receipts!
• Check your credit card statements daily (even when you get home too!)
• Verfiy every purchase or charge made on your credit card.
• If you become the victim of credit card fraud, call the credit card issuer immediately! You most likely will not be held responsible for the attack.

The most important thing is to know what is being charged at all times and to verify those purchases. The sooner you know that fraud was committed the faster you can prevent any more fraudulent charges from happening.

Well folks, Phil did not see his shadow which means Spring is right around the corner. But lets not jump to any conclusions just yet… According to Wikipedia (yeah, yeah, yeah. Not the most reliable source but for Groundhogs Day I am sure it will do.),  “of [the] 115 predictions on record so far, Punxsutawney Phil has predicted an early spring 15 times (13%). As to his accuracy, according to the StormFax Weather Almanac and records kept since 1887, Phil’s predictions have been correct just 39% of the time.” To add more to that, the entire North East was just hit with a pretty major snow and ice storm. Phil made his prediction but I think it is safe to say we should wait to see what Mother Nature has in store for us for the rest of February…and at this rate, March too.