London to Open "Secret Tube" to Tourists

A network of disused underground tunnels, that were once used to transport rail across London, have been given the go-ahead to open as a tourist attraction. Mail Rail first opened in 1927 and in its heyday used a series of driverless trains to transport post beneath the capital's streets from the East End's Whitechapel to Paddington in the west. Islington Council has approved plans to allow tourists to descend beneath the city and ride the trains that sit below some of the London's most iconic sights. From 2020, visitors will be able to ride the 'secret Tube', departing from Mount Pleasant, in Islington, which was once one of the largest sorting offices in the world. 

The original track was 6.5 miles long and had a total of eight stations and at some stages narrowed to just 7ft wide. Tourists will ride the miniature trains for a total of 0.6 miles, while learning about the history of the Post Office. A new postal museum will also open on the Mount Pleasant site in 2016, displaying artefacts from British postal history, including telegrams from the Titanic, original evidence from the Great Train Robbery trial and pistols used to defend mail coaches in the 19th Century. The Mail Rail was finally closed in 2003, after Royal Mail built a new hub in Willesden, west London and it was decided it would be cheaper to transport mail by road instead of using the tunnels.

App To Help Travelers Collect Airline Compensation

Getting compensation from an airline for a delayed, canceled or overbooked flight can range from difficult to impossible as many travelers have found out this bad winter. There are several online companies including Air Help, EU claim and refund.me that charge a fee ranging from 15 to 27% (plus, in some cases, handling charges), for helping European travelers file claims under regulations that apply to flights to or from a European Union member state. 

Now, one of those companies is offering its services to U.S. fliers online, and through a free app. Air Help estimates that, under U.S. Department of Transportation's rules, each year a total of $450 million in potential compensation is owed to passengers involuntarily bumped on overbooked U.S. flights and that, under European Union regulations, there are $2.1 billion in potential claims for U.S. air passengers flying to, from or within Europe on EU carriers. Because many travelers don't understand the rules, only a small amount of the compensation owed to passengers gets claimed or paid. That's where Air Help comes in. You give them the details of your flight, and they'll check whether or not you're legally owed any compensation. If you are, you sign a PDF that gives them power of attorney (with regards to dealing with the airline), and they go hunting for the cash. If you end up getting paid, they keep 25% of it. And if you don't you pay nothing. 

US Government Looking at High Tech Solutions for Faster Airport Screening

The US Department of Homeland Security is pushing for private contractors to create a screening machine with "screen and walk" capability for use at the nation's 160 international airports and thousands of federal facilities. The agency recently requested information from high-tech companies and other private firms about any new technology that can help speed up the security checkpoints managed by the TSA and the Federal Protective Services. 

The DHS asked for technology that can screen a minimum of 250 people per hour, which is slightly faster than the current pace of about 200 per hour for the full-body scanners. The new technology would not replace but would add to the screening technology now used at airports. "The system will detect an explosive or assembled IED (improvised explosive device) with and without divestiture of outer garments, shoes and through clutter depending on the deployment," according to the government request. "In addition, detection should occur through a minimum of 2 layers of clothing concealment where those layers are composed of cotton, cotton-polyester, wool, silk and leather materials among others."

Caribbeans Newest Cruise Port

The Banana Coast, the western Caribbean's newest cruise port, welcomed its first cruise ship to Trujillo, Honduras earlier this week. Travel Dynamics International's 130-passenger Yorktown made the inaugural visit and is scheduled to return next Monday. After tendering ashore Yorktown passengers were greeted by performances by Garifuna musicians, browsed locally made crafts and set out on tours to the nearby rain forest or relaxed on the beach. Banana Coast was included in Yorktown's 'Tropical Islands, Rain Forests & Ancient Sites of Central America' itinerary. Banana Coast has shopping, a newly built tender dock, reception center and transportation hub as well as 10 acres of beachfront in the town of Trujillo, which was established in 1525.

Diverse shore excursions feature the region's Spanish colonial heritage and lush tropical setting with cultural, historical, soft adventure and eco-tour offerings. Five cruise lines have scheduled 20 calls on eight ships at Honduras' first mainland cruise destination. Holland America Line was the first major cruise operator to commit to a series of calls beginning in November 2014 through March 2015. Silversea Cruises has calls in December 2014 and March 2015. P&O Cruises and Oceania Cruises are booked in the first quarter of 2015.

Contact a Professional Travel Agent today to book your next cruise vacation!

FAA Bans Pilots Texting in Flight

The FAA has issued final regulations banning commercial airline pilots from using Personal Electronic Devices (PEDs) while in the cockpit operating aircraft. The rule will take effect in 60 days and provides mandates for prohibitions that the FAA and lawmakers have been looking to finalize in recent years. Within the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, lawmakers included a provision for the agency to develop a rule that prohibits airline flight crews from using personal wireless communications devices for personal reasons during all phases of flight. "This rule will ensure that certain non-essential activities do not contribute to the challenge of task management on the flight deck and do not contribute to a loss of situational awareness due to attention to non-essential activities, as highlighted by these incidents," the agency said in its issuance of the new rule.  

New Pyramid Discovered in Egypt

Archaeologists working near the ancient settlement of Edfu, in southern Egypt, have uncovered a step pyramid that dates back about 4,600 years, predating the Great Pyramid of Giza by at least a few decades. The step pyramid, which once stood as high as 43 feet, is one of seven so-called "provincial" pyramids built by either the pharaoh Huni (reign ca. 2635-2610 B.C.) or Snefru (reign ca. 2610-2590 B.C.). Over time, the step pyramid's stone blocks were pillaged, and the monument was exposed to weathering, so today, it's only about 16 feet tall. These provincial step pyramids are scattered throughout central and southern Egypt. They have no internal chambers and were not intended for burial. Six of the seven pyramids have almost identical dimensions, including the newly uncovered one at Edfu, which is about 60 x 61 feet. It has hieroglyphic graffiti incised on the outer faces of the pyramid. The inscriptions are located beside the remains of babies and children who were buried at the foot of the pyramid.

Canada and U.S. to Share Information from Border Crossings

Records of Canadians' trips across the border into the United States could soon be shared with a number of federal departments, including the RCMP and CSIS. Under an expanded data-exchange program between the two countries set to take effect on June 30, a traveler’s entry into one country will be used to create an exit record from the other country. 

The data has the potential to help Canadian authorities track people who may be travelling abroad to engage in terrorism and identify people who are out of the country but still receiving social assistance benefits. Information collected under the program will consist of "routine biographic information," such as first name, last name, middle name, date of birth, nationality, gender, document type, document number and document country of issuance, as well as time and place of entry into or exit from Canada. The $117-million data-sharing program is part of Canada's Beyond the Border Action Plan, designed to improve border security and the flow of goods between the two countries.

Carnival Cruises to Offer Big Name Musical Acts

Starting in April, Carnival Cruise Line will launch an experience branded "Carnival LIVE" featuring live performances by artists including Jennifer Hudson, LeAnn Rimes, Olivia Newton- John, Lady Antebellum, Trace Adkins and other stars. The artists will join ships at home ports in Cozumel, Nassau and Catalina Island, playing the last night of one cruise and the first night of the next. The performers will be in the main show lounge, and will not be sailing.

These shows are not included in the cruise fare. Tickets will cost $20 to $40, and can be purchased in advance through the line's web-based shore excursion system, or on board at the shore excursion desk, if available. VIP tickets, selling for $100 to $150 each, will include a meet-and-greet with photo opportunities, a laminated concert pass and seating in the first three rows.

Aircraft Security Now Part of TSA

The TSA is again expanding its responsibilities by taking over the inspection of aircraft repair stations in an attempt to lower the risk of theft and other terrorism-related activity. The move will cover about 4,100 domestic repair stations and 700 foreign ones, as the agency attempts to satisfy a Congressional order passed about a decade ago. According to the Associated Press, Congress first mandated the TSA to inspect airport repair stations over concern that they made easy targets for terrorists wishing to steal a plane or plant a bomb onboard one. The FAA is responsible for repair stations but their job is to ensure the conditions of work quality meet US standards. With the TSA now preparing to inspect shops for security, the FAA will be able to continue authorizing new stations, a process that had been halted previously. The new rules apply only to stations operating at or near airports, since the agency found other locations "represent a minimal risk to aviation security." No examinations will be performed without the cooperation of that nation's government.

New York's Tallest Hotel Opens

Marriott International, Inc and G Holdings announced the opening of a combined 378-room Courtyard hotel and 261-suite Residence Inn hotel in Midtown Manhattan. The $320 million tallest single-use hotel in North America is located at 1717 Broadway. It was built and is owned by G Holdings and managed by Interstate Hotels & Resorts. The 68-story building is just steps from Central Park and Times Square. The hotels offer guests convenient access to Carnegie Hall, the Broadway Theater District, Fifth Avenue, Rockefeller Center and Radio City Music Hall. The hotels offer valet parking and share 6,000 square feet of meeting space, a fitness center located on the 35th floor with floor-to-ceiling windows and an outdoor sundeck for stretching, relaxing or seasonal sunning. Some guest rooms also feature floor-to-ceiling windows offering spectacular views of Central Park, Times Square and the Hudson River.

Airlines That Offer In-Flight Phone Calls and Texting

There are at least 19 airlines that currently allow passengers to make calls from their mobile phone while in flight. So far there haven't been many complaints, probably because it costs so much that the calls being made are short. The calls are contingent on individual passengers' international calling plans. International roaming rates tend to be in the $3 to $4 per minute range, and are billed to the passenger by their network operator. The average in-flight voice call is less than two minutes, and commonly takes place before takeoff or after landing as passengers connect with families, colleagues and friends. 

Here is a list of airlines that allow voice calls, SMS texting, and/or email and data on passengers' mobile phones. Aer Lingus Long haul but doesn't allow voice calls; Aeroflot A320, A330, B777; Air Asia select short-haul flights; Air France select long haul B77-300; Azerbaijan Airlines A320; British Airways A318; Egypt Air A330; Emirates long haul to/from Dubai; Etihad long haul; KLM B777-300; Libyan Airlines A320, A330; Malaysia Airlines Select Boeing 777 flights; Oman Air Select A330 flights; Philippine Airlines A330, B777; Qatar Airways A320, B787; Royal Jordanian A320; SAS B737-883; Saudi Arabian Airlines A330, B777; Singapore Airlines Select A340, A380, B777; TAM A320 family; TAP Portugal Select A319s; Transaero Select B747s, B777s; Virgin Atlantic A330-300, B747-400. In-flight voice calls have restrictions: They are not allowed during takeoff or landings, airlines generally disable them at night, and the cockpit and crew have separate switches to turn off voice calls, if desired. 

TSA Attempting to Reduce Airport Lines

Travelers who use the TSA's Pre-Check program get to keep their shoes, belts and sweaters on and do not have to pull their laptops from cases or display their baggy of liquids as they hustle through special airport checkpoint lines. Their carry-on luggage still passes through X-ray machines, and they still must step through metal detectors. The TSA says that more than 25 million fliers have used the zip-through-security program since its soft rollout in 2011. 

Now it is opening a registration Web site, sign-up centers at major airports and a few downtown locations nationwide, with the first at Indianapolis International Airport this week and one set to open at Dulles International before year's end. Opening the enrollment centers, 300 in all, will be a step toward TSA's grander plan to reduce the security hassle for low-risk passengers so workers can focus on those who give some reason for suspicion. The TSA says someone who shows up at an enrollment center will spend about 10 minutes (not counting any wait time) signing up for the program. It requires a background check, fingerprints and an $85 fee for a five-year enrollment. A passport, required for some other programs, is not necessary. Members will receive a "known traveler number" to provide to airlines when making a reservation. That makes the traveler eligible for the speedy line at 102 big airports or when flying with seven airlines, including all the major ones. 

Hotels Utilizing Unused Space for Guest Offices

Hotels are reacting to, and capitalizing on the changing habits of today's workers, who are increasingly deciding for themselves where and how they're going to work. Hotels are especially trying to appeal to travelers in their 20s and 30s who have a unique style of working. These next-generation professionals grew up working in Starbucks, Panera, libraries, and working outside. 

Marriott's Workspace on Demand program, at more than 200 properties, is a collaboration with Liquid Space, a mobile/Web app that connects people to spaces to work and meet. Hotel 1000 in Seattle offers travelers and telecommuters pop-up offices in meeting rooms or private-function spaces that would otherwise be empty. From Monday to Friday, the hotel announces on its Facebook and Twitter pages and at hotel1000seattle.com/meetings-events/pop-up-office which spaces are available and for how much. Rather than open windowless conference rooms to workers, a number of hotels are making livelier spaces or outdoor areas available. The Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort in Florida, for instance, has a tiki hut that workers can use. The Marriott Marquis in Atlanta has a 49th floor space with an expansive view of the city. At Topaz Hotel in Wasington, D.C., workers can reserve the Moroccan-themed Zen Den toward the back of the bar for meetings. At the Delano Hotel South Beach and Mondrian South Beach in Miami, people can book poolside cabanas. The cabanas have been outfitted with Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, and, upon request, wireless printing!

Favorite and Least Favorite Airports

USA TODAY recently sent an informal airport survey out to more than 1,600 of the world's most frequent business travelers who volunteer information to the news outlet. Dallas Fort/Worth Airport finished No. 1 among U.S. airports, and Amsterdam's Schiphol airport ranks at the top of foreign airports. Least favorites were O'Hare and Paris' Charles DeGaulle. Atlanta, Detroit and San Francisco were favorite runners-up for domestic airports. In expressing his displeasure with CDG, one responder said, "I simply have quit flying ever into Paris Charles de Gaulle. It just doesn't work at all on any level. It's located way outside the city, it's a long, expensive taxi ride in, the design and layout are confusing, and there is literally nothing to do at that airport."

White House Tours Resume After 7 Months

The White House resumed public tours on Tuesday, seven months after they were suspended due to government-wide spending cuts. The self-guided tours are resuming on a limited basis of about three days a week, down from five. They'll run through Jan. 15, when temporary funding runs out. The White House says visitors who want to request a public tour should contact their member of Congress.

FAA to Allow Use of Electronic Devices on Flights

The Federal Aviation Administration announced that it will allow the use of electronic devices at all stages of flight, but that airlines will have to test their own aircraft to make sure there is no interference. The FAA released a statement prior to the press conference that read, "The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Michael Huerta today announced that the FAA has determined that airlines can safely expand passenger use of Portable Electronic Devices (PEDs) during all phases of flight, and is immediately providing the airlines with implementation guidance. Due to differences among fleets and operations, the implementation will vary among airlines, but the agency expects many carriers will prove to the FAA that their planes allow passengers to safely use their devices in airplane mode, gate-to-gate, by the end of the year." 

Jet Blue became the first airline to allow passengers use electronic devices throughout the flight. Airlines have to prove to the FAA that their take off and landing operations won't be affected by the use of the electronic devices. JetBlue said its tests had been certified and their passengers were able to use their devices starting at 6 pm last night. Delta was waiting for approval and is ready to start today if the FAA approves. Cell phones should be in airplane mode or with cellular service disabled, no signal bars displayed, and cannot be used for voice communications due to Federal Communications Commission regulations that prohibit any airborne calls on cell phones. The new rules apply only to flights in the U.S., and not flights to U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Halloween Around the World

Last weekend I took the annual trip out to the local pumpkin patch with my daughter, to pick some pumpkins that we carved into jack-o-lanterns. It got me thinking about Halloween. Of course here in the states that means trick-or-treating, lots of candy, costume parties, jack-o-lanterns and spooky movies. But I got curious about what people do in other parts of the world for this holiday, and what other countries even celebrate Halloween. Here’s what I found out.

Halloween is celebrated in North America, Canada and Ireland more than anywhere else in the world.

Ireland is believed to have been the birth place of Halloween. During the eighth century the Catholic Church designated the first day of November as 'All Saints Day’, a day of commemoration for those Saints that did not have a specific day of remembrance. The night before became known as 'All Hallows Eve' which, over time, became known as Halloween.

Carving Pumpkins dates back to the eighteenth century and to an Irish blacksmith named Jack who colluded with the Devil and was denied entry to Heaven. He was condemned to wander the earth but asked the Devil for some light. He was given a burning coal ember which he placed inside a turnip that he had gouged out. The tradition of Jack O'Lanterns was born - the bearer being the wandering blacksmith - a damned soul. Villagers in Ireland hoped that the lantern in their window would keep the wanderer away. When the Irish emigrated in millions to America there was not a great supply of turnips so pumpkins were used instead.

Today the Irish celebrate Halloween very similarly to Americans, with trick-or-treating, parties, and many also have bonfires.

In Mexico, Latin America and Spain, they celebrate “El Dia de los Muertos”, meaning Day of the Dead. Family & friends gather to pray for and remember loved ones who have passed away, and build private altars honoring them. The altars are decorated with candy sculls, flowers, water and other food. This celebration occurs on Nov. 1st and 2nd.

In Belgium, many light candles on Halloween night in memory of deceased relatives.

In Austria some people leave out bread and water on a table at night, as it was once believed it would welcome dead souls back to earth.

Germans put away their knives on Halloween night, as they do not want to risk harm on the returning spirits.

In England, many of the children have recently started trick-or-treating. Although, since it is so new here, many adults, especially older generations, aren’t familiar with it and usually don’t have candy ready to hand out on Halloween.

In China the holiday is called “Teng Chieh”, the Chinese people place food & water in front of photographs of the deceased, and burn bonfires & lanterns as a way to guide the spirits as they travel back to earth on Halloween night.

In Hong Kong it is known as “Yue Lan”, the Festival of the Hungry Ghosts. They believe that spirits roam the world for 24 hours.

If you are interested in celebrating Halloween somewhere else this year, or just want to plan a Fall Vacation, contact a Travel Professional for some great Fall specials today!

Security Check Now Starts Long Before Your Flight

The New York Times reports the Transportation Security Administration is expanding its screening of passengers before they arrive at the airport by searching a wide array of government and private databases that can include records like car registrations and employment information. If you have SSSS printed on your boarding pass it means you have been picked for enhanced screening. The TSA says that while the goal is to streamline the security procedures for millions of passengers who pose no risk, the new measures give the government greater authority to use travelers' data for domestic airport screenings. Previously that level of scrutiny applied only to individuals entering the United States. The prescreening, some of which is already taking place, is described in documents the T.S.A. released to comply with government regulations about the collection and use of individuals' data, but the details of the program have not been publicly announced. It is unclear precisely what information the agency is relying upon to make these risk assessments, given the extensive range of records it can access, including tax identification number, past travel itineraries, property records, physical characteristics, and law enforcement or intelligence information. The measures go beyond the background check the government has conducted for years, called Secure Flight, in which a passenger's name, gender and date of birth are compared with terrorist watch lists. Now, the search includes using a traveler's passport number, which is already used to screen people at the border, and other identifiers to access a system of databases maintained by the Department of Homeland Security.

New UK Border Rules Could Turn Flight Attendants into Immigration Officers

The UK has a new immigration bill that could affect anyone travelling to the UK. Airline passengers could face lengthy queues at the departure gates when a raft of new border checks are introduced in 18 months. All travelers will have their passports swiped before they board their flight. The government wants airline staff to take on some of the power of an immigration officer so they can carry out passport inspections at the departure gate. Airlines will be compelled to carry out the checks or face a fine, under measures published by the Government in the Bill. It means airline staff, or those working for the airport, will check passports against electronic databases to "identify threats or persons of interest". The government is committed to introduce the exit checks by 2015 and the legislation will introduce powers to enable carrier and port operator staff to play a role in carrying out the checks. The aim of the bill is to make it much harder for offenders to flee British justice and to better identify those who are in the UK illegally.

JFK Gets Automated Passport System

JFK International saw the introduction of automated passport machines yesterday to speed up the arrival of U.S. passengers from international flights. It's the latest airport-and one of the largest-to get the system. Similar self-service machines already in use at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport Terminal 5, and at two airports in Canada (Vancouver and Montreal) are already helping to significantly cut down wait times at customs that, at times, have forced arriving international passengers to stand in line for up to five hours or to be held back on a plane. 40 automated passport kiosks have been purchased by Delta for use in Terminal 4, where it is the largest tenant among more than 30 airlines. At JFK, only U.S. citizens will initially be able to use the machines, but soon Canadian citizens should be able to use the machines as well. The machines are being tested and if all goes well, they will be in operation by tomorrow.