Merry Christmas!

Thanks and Christmas Greeting from a client

Merry Christmas to all as we celebrate the birth of our Savior.
Looking forward to serving with you all in 2015.

CDC Warns about Travel to West Africa

As officials deal with the first case of Ebola diagnosed in the US at a Dallas hospital. The Centers for Disease Control continues to issue warnings about travel to and from West Africa.

 Travel Notices from the CDC

• Warning - Avoid nonessential travel: Ebola in Liberia
• Warning - Avoid nonessential travel: Ebola in Guinea
• Warning - Avoid nonessential travel: Ebola in Sierra Leone
• Alert - Practice enhanced precautions: Ebola in Nigeria
• Alert - Practice enhanced precautions: Ebola in Democratic Republic of the Congo

Here's what fliers need to know.

Reclining seats, knee defenders and flight diversions… What’s it all about?

It’s been a battle in the air between passengers as flights have recently been diverted to the nearest airport to unload the battling parties. They believe they are fighting for the right of space.

• The right to recline.
• The right to use your tray table.
• The right to your legroom.
• The right to not have a seat back in your face.
• The right to use a knee defender to protect your space.

It does seem as the “seat pitch” of airline seats gets smaller and smaller, the more fights the flight attendants have to attend to, which often means the combatants to be forcibly de-planed at the nearest airport.

The seat pitch is the measurement of space between the same “part” of seats.  That means that your space is not measured between the back of the top of the seat and the front of yours.  It’s a measurement of the space between the front of your seat and the front of the seat behind or in front of you.  You can easily have the seat back in front of you over the front of your seat.  The result is we feel a bit like sardines in a can.

What can you do besides upgrade and pay more? 

• Fly Spirit Air. Spirit has non-reclining seats on its jets.
• Check out SeatGuru.com. You can find the Seat Pitch, Seat Width and more info on good and bad seats.
• Be loyal to one airline. If you build up enough miles, your airline will often give you free seat upgrades or at least an early choice of seat.
• The Knee Defender.  The Knee Defender is the legal, but often airline banned clip that fits on the arms of the tray table. It keeps the passenger in front of you from reclining too far into your space. The makers say knee defender also protects your laptop from being smashed and protects you from leg thrombosis. 

 More:
Fly more comfortably with these
Who Needs A 'Knee Defender' If Passengers Can Just Recline Their Airplane Seats Politely?
A solution to airlines' Knee-Defender woes: Get rid of reclining seats
Businessman behind Knee Defender dispute 'ashamed' about his behavior
Dispute over reclining seat diverts flight, again
 Copyright 2014 All the World Travel

chataboutjesus.com 

What's a Baggage Embargo?

When we used to live in Bush Alaska, much of our baggage was what we called, “Alaskan Samsonite”… that is cardboard boxes. However, if you are traveling south of the border to Mexico, Latin or South America, you may have trouble with what the airlines call an “embargo.” Usually in the summer, some airlines, ban the use of boxes, coolers, tubs, or anything that doesn’t really look like luggage. They sometimes also ban oversize or overweight baggage.

Here’s a link to American Airlines page on Checked Bag Limitations. 

---

Check these bags!

Enhanced security measures at certain airports overseas

If you are returning to the US, expect to have increased scrutiny of your electronic devices. This applies to cell phones, tablets, i-pads, laptops, video games and most likely anything electronic.
The TSA says that during the security examination, officers may also ask that owners power up some devices, including cell phones. Powerless devices will not be permitted on-board the aircraft. The traveler may also undergo additional screening.
No word on what happens to the devices that get left behind.
So if you want to carry it on, make sure you can turn it on, or it won't go on.

More Information:
TSA announcement
Fox News on new TSA Security
Keep your device charged with these
Reuters story


Copyright 2014 All the World Travel

More Thanks

We love Thank You notes!

Protect Your ID and Back

Before your trip, credit agency Experian recommends cleaning out your wallet or purse. Remove social security card, check book and deposit slips, birth certificate, credit card receipts, bills, extra credit cards and even your library card. They also advise using only credit cards on your trip and leave you debit and ATM cards at home. Without these item in your wallet you'll limit a loss due to theft and protect yourself from identity theft.

If you keep your wallet in your back pocket, your back may be happier with the thinner wallet.
Check out the more comfortable passport wallets and money belts in our GO Store.

The Value of Travel Insurance

We recently had a client who was traveling overseas looking forward to a tour. Her flight there was uneventful. She hadn’t even left the airport when another woman suddenly collapsed knocking them both to the ground. Even worse they were on a moving escalator. She received excellent doctoring afterwards and was able to continue her tour with the help of a wheelchair. However, by the end of her trip she was still in so much pain a doctor was called in. The doctor insisted that she could not withstand the long journey back to the US in the seated upright “coach” position. They contacted the travel insurance company and they provided her with a first class ticket to return home. Now she could take the 18 hour flight fully reclined and without extreme pain.

We’re so thankful she was able to continue her tour, for the local tour leader who helped her find the care she needed, and thankful we offered her travel insurance so she was able to come home comfortably and safely.

We have many versions of Travel Insurance available. We have special policies designed for short and longer term missionaries. Many policies include emergency evacuation for extreme medical issues. Since many tickets are now non-refundable and non-changeable, travel insurance can help with that risk, too.

When planning your next trip, be sure and ask about Travel Insurance. There’s better coverage for pre-existing conditions if purchased at the same time as your tickets.

Deeply Touched

We have the best clients in the world!!

... and thank you Lisa for being a great client!

We love our Clients.
Thank you back!!