London – Underground Strike
A strike by London Underground workers is in effect from 8pm on July 1 and scheduled to last for 8 days. So far it is causing minimal disruptions across the network. Disruptions could become more apparent on July 7, when the Tour de France’s third stage is set to draw large crowds during work hours across London.
Italy – Four-hour Strike
Airport workers nationwide are slated to stage a four-hour nationwide strike, 1230-1630 July 5. The industrial action will include unionized workers in the sectors of airport and airline management, navigation, ground handling, and some air traffic controllers. Unless averted, the industrial action could cause widespread disruptions to flights operating in Italy during the busy summer travel period. Only one union has called for the strike, however, limiting the number of striking workers and increasing the likelihood that affected companies will be able to mitigate the staff shortages. Although the strike could disrupt air transport across Italy, it is unlikely to be crippling, as Italian law requires a minimum level of transportation services be maintained during labor actions. Domestic flights are the most likely to be affected.
East Coast – Hurricane Arthur
Arthur has become a Category 1 hurricane as it continues to move north along the eastern coast of South Carolina during the early morning hours of July 3. The storm may make landfall near Cape Hatteras on July 4; however, the precise path of Arthur’s center could change over the next several days, potentially altering where, or if, it will make landfall. Rainfall totals of up to 6 inches are possible in coastal areas of North Carolina with projected storm surge of up to 4 feet. Strong wind gusts could damage trees or power lines, potentially causing electricity outages, especially in areas under tropical storm watches or warnings.
Greece – Countrywide Strike July 9
A strike by by Greece’s public sector union on July 9 will impact all public/state run services. Travel may be affected if air traffic controllers join the strike.
What’s the difference between Global Entry and just using the automated passport kiosks?
Great question! There are several important differences, but the biggest one is in the procedure and the amount of time saved. With the automated passport kiosks, which are available to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, you scan your passport, have your photo taken and digitally compared to the passport photo, answer questions on the screen, get a receipt, and then stand in line to see the official. He or she will pull up your file, review it, and then allow you to go to baggage claim. The time savings is 30-40 seconds per person. While this doesn’t make much difference to each individual, over the course of the day and thousands of people it makes a difference to the customs officials. With Global Entry you scan your passport and fingerprints, answer questions on the screen, get a receipt, and proceed to baggage claim. Unless your receipt has an “X” on it you get to skip the process of standing in line to talk to an official – and if you do have the “X” you get to go to the front of the line. Rather than saving 30-40 seconds, this can save you anywhere from 10 minutes to 2 hours depending on the airport, time of day, and number of available officials. Global Entry also conveys membership in the TSA Pre-Check program which speeds you through the security process without removing laptop, liquids, or shoes.
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The Netherlands
- The Netherlands surface area has been almost doubled over the centuries through the formation of “polders” or land reclaimed from the sea
- Most commonly associated with the Netherlands, polders can be found in nearly 20 countries worldwide
- Numbering more than 3000 today, the first Dutch polder was completed in the early 1600s
- The damming of the Zuider Zee (Zuider Sea) resulted in the IJsselmeer (IJssel Lake), which slowly transformed from salt water to fresh water
- The biggest part of the North Sea Protection Works project was a two-mile-long moveable surge barrier across an estuary finished in 1986
- It has been said that the North Sea Protection Works project is nearly equal in scale to the Great Wall of China
- The two most vulnerable areas for flooding in the Netherlands are the large tidal inlet formerly known as the Zuider Zee and the delta created by the Rhine and Meuse rivers in the southwestern corner of the country
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Help Us Feed America
Travel-On LTD. will join with other travel agencies across the United States in the 2nd Annual Travel Leaders Group Day of Giving. As part of the initiative, we will collect non-perishable food items at our Travel Place offices (the leisure travel division of Travel-On), located in Bethesda, Manassas, and Potomac, now through July 10. All collected items will then be counted and donated to The Capital Area Food Bank. Additionally, we encourage you to contribute to Feeding America – the nationally-recognized 501(c)(3) umbrella organization for food banks throughout the United States – by going here; Travel-On is pledging to match up to the first $1,000 in donations to Feeding America.
TRAVEL-ON EMPLOYEES MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Throughout Travel-On, our employees are M.A.D ( Making A Difference) to our clients. Many of you have noticed and have told us just how M.A.D they are.
- Recently, Sally Dodson from Travel-On Accounting Department received this note from a client.
“Sally -
I cannot tell you how pleased and impressed I am with the superior customer service you exemplified with responding to this specific request and short turnaround time!
Thank you! Thank You! Thank YOU!
It’s people like you who give a company a great reputation! Congratulations to Travel-On for having a SUPER STAR on their staff!!”
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“What does it mean to pre-board? Do you get on before you get on?” — George Carlin