Latest news with #TSAPreCheck
The Star
14 hours ago
- The Star
You no longer have to take off your shoes for screening at US airports
Travellers leaving the US no longer have to take their shoes off during security screening. — AP/Filepic Travellers leaving the United States no longer have to worry about removing their shoes to go through standard airport security checkpoints, a change that will likely speed up screening for airline passengers. The US Transportation Security Administration or TSA recently updated its policies to make the change, said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during a press conference. This move extends a benefit that's already available to individuals who pay for TSA PreCheck to most ordinary travellers. TSA's reversal ends a policy that has been for nearly two decades one of the most visible – and criticised – features of the post-9/11 heightened US airport security system. Critics, who've long dismissed the shoe rule as more security theatre than actual security, have also faulted the policy for increasing wait times at security checkpoints at American airports. The change also puts the US in line with most other global aviation hubs including the European Union, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, and Singapore, which typically don't require travellers to take off their shoes when going through airport security. The US requirement to remove footwear was made mandatory in August 2006 – following a failed attempt in 2001 by 'shoe bomber' Richard Reid to ignite explosives packed in one of his sneakers on an American Airlines flight. On July 8, Noem at the press conference said that the new policy was effective immediately, nationwide. According to a report by The Associated Press, Noem said that a pilot program showed the TSA had the equipment needed to keep airports and aircraft safe while allowing people to keep their shoes on. – Bloomberg
Skift
2 days ago
- Business
- Skift
Time for Plan B: 5 Situations Where You'll Need a Backup Plan
Flight delays. Unexpected weather. Renovation snags. The list of things that can go wrong at a meeting is a long and winding one. Plan B's are not just about the weather — so many other things can go wrong. Following are 5 of the most common potential problems planners face, and how to plan for the worst. 1. Speaker Delays Just like everyone else, speakers' flights can be canceled or delayed. As a rule of thumb, it's always smart to bring in a speaker the evening before the event — but some refuse to travel an additional day. To make the trip easier, remind speakers in advance of any requirements for getting through security and consider paying for priority tickets and TSA PreCheck (if they don't already have it). Put aside money in the budget for transportation costs, in the event that the speaker needs to take an alternate flight. A typical figure for contingency costs for a meeting is 10% of the total budget. There are also unforeseen circumstances, such as illness or personal emergencies, that can cause a speaker to cancel. The time to protect yourself is at the contracting stage. The contract should outline the cancellation policy, as well as penalties for non-performance. If you are working with a speakers bureau, will they be responsible for a replacement? If not, Plan B would be to vet a group of local backup speakers who live locally or nearby to fill in on short notice. Worst case, you might have to livestream the speaker. Speak with the AV representative in advance of the meeting to discuss their streaming capabilities and requirements. If you are going to use Zoom, make sure to use a paid subscription; the unpaid version has a 40-minute time limit. They also should be able to arrange for cameras in the room to allow for a live Q&A. 2. Bad Weather It's important to do your research and speak with your local CVB to understand the weather risks specific to the destination. Beware that seasonality is also changing, with shoulder seasons — a popular choice for meetings — now at risk of less-than-optimal weather. Ask for examples of other meetings faced with bad weather, and what actions they took. Make sure you have a strong force majeure clause if you are forced to cancel because of inclement weather, such as hurricanes. If your cancellation clause includes a fee that increases incrementally the closer it gets to the meeting, you could face a high penalty if you are forced to cancel close to the date. Outdoor events, like a beachfront cocktail reception, that are meant to be highlights of a program, can be ruined by rain and wind. It's important to consider whether the backup space in the hotel will be sufficient. DMCs can be a helpful resource for making your event a wow, with decor, entertainment, and experiences — even if it ends up indoors. 3. Staffing Shortfalls The hospitality industry has struggled with a labor shortage since the Covid pandemic. Now, immigration enforcement and an anti-immigrant sentiment are adding a new layer of complexity. An exclusive Skift Meetings survey of U.S. planners shows that they expect to grapple with the effects of Trump-era immigration policies, with growing concern about hotel staffing across the board. More than two-thirds of respondents (72%) said they expect hotel staffing to be affected in 2025–2026 because of immigration policies. It's essential to set guarantees that the hotel will have sufficient staff based on a ratio — for example, one waiter for every x-number of attendees at a banquet and one waiter for every x-number of guests at a buffet. Housekeeping is no longer a given, so you need to spell out for attendees whether the hotel offers daily housekeeping, if they need to call a number to get their room serviced, or if they have a standard schedule, such as every other day. All of these details need to be outlined in the contract, which should cover performance on-site. As a Plan B, some planners report bringing in their own service teams to back up hotel banquet staff. But in most cases, the main strategy is strong communication, so attendees are clear up front about service expectations. There's also no guarantee that hotel food outlets or room service will be open during late-night hours. If so, communicate with attendees about backup food delivery options. If there is an issue, let the attendee know you have reported it to management and send an amenity to their room to make up for the inconvenience. 4. Hotel Renovations It's exciting as being among the first groups to witness a newly renovated hotel. However, few renovations stay on schedule, due to price fluctuations, supply chain issues, brand requirements, and labor shortages. So it's important to build protections into your contract, and to discuss contingencies with the hotel in advance. Ask to see the general contractor's report, which includes project due dates, to make sure the renovation is on schedule. If not, sometimes, there's an easy solution, as was the case with one planner whose small group meeting was going to be the first one to use a newly renovated Chicago loop property. When the date grew close, the meeting and guest rooms were completed, but the kitchen was still under construction. She worked with the hotel, which was part of an upscale chain, to bring in catered meals from its other Chicago properties, and guests never noticed. For hotels under renovation, it's important to include specific clauses outlining the consequences of delays, including potential compensation for costs incurred or liquidated damages for non-performance. Set a cutoff date after which time you may terminate the contract without liability, and require that the hotel assist in finding alternate arrangements. 5. Change of Management Changes in ownership or management can be disruptive and lead to staff turnover and confusion. For Evya Richards, meeting manager for The Energy Council, a changeover from a corporate hotel to a franchise turned into a nightmare. The hotel did not inform her of the change until less than 30 days before the meeting, and every one of her contacts — the GM, the salesperson, the CSM, the banquet captain, and the food and beverage director — left. Communication was nonexistent. 'No BEOs, no room diagrams, nothing,' she said. Fortunately, the meeting came together at the last minute. It's important to ask if a hotel is franchised or corporate-owned or -managed. There can be differences in flexibility, brand standards, and contracting. The other benefit in working with a corporate-owned or -managed property is that you can move to a Plan B hotel in the same chain if the trouble persists.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Travel chaos at St Louis Airport as lines stretch out to freeway
A major US airport was hit by lines of travelers stretching back to a nearby freeway after a large Christian conference caused a sudden influx of visitors. St Louis Lambert International Airport in Missouri was inundated with travelers from 6am Sunday morning. Grim photos showed hundreds of people waiting outside its terminal two, with the line stretching dangerously close to a multi-lane road that takes drivers to and from the travel hub. A TikTok user called ray_elijahsmom shared a shocking footage showing the miserable-looking line of tourists stretching far outside the building in the humid Missouri summer heat. Those stuck outside had little access to food or water, further heightening the discomfort endured Many had to wait in line for three hours and ended up missing their flights despite technically arriving at the airport early. Airport spokesman Roger Lotz told 5 On Your Side that a Seventh Day Adventist conference in the city attended by 50,000 people had ended the day before. He said that had caused a sudden and unexpected influx of people early Sunday all wanting to get home from the conference before returning to work on Monday. The airport explained that many of the conference attendees had wanted to check bags and that few were members of expedited security programs like TSA-Pre-Check or CLEAR, further slowing operations down. But that was little comfort to scores of travelers who missed flights. Southwest marked some of those stuck in the lines as 'no shows.' That means anyone missing flights can only get vouchers to put towards another one instead of a refund. Fox2 reported that one unidentified passenger had been left out of pocket to the tune of $12,000, but didn't offer any more information as to how they incurred the eye-watering loss. Monica Villarreal was in St Louis from Houston for a jewelry convention and says it took her more than two hours to reach the TSA checkpoint. 'It's the longest I've ever waited. And I'm from Houston.', she said, referring to the Texas city's famously busy airports. Another flyer told 5 On Your Side that they'd been able to cancel flights and get refunds but warned 'it's going to get ugly.' The airport eventually processed the worst of the lines by early afternoon with normal operations resuming Monday morning.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
St Louis Airport has lines stretching out to FREEWAY after Seventh Day Adventist event caused travel chaos
A major US airport was hit by lines of travelers stretching back to a nearby freeway after a large Christian conference caused a sudden influx of visitors. St Louis Lambert International Airport in Missouri was inundated with travelers from 6am Sunday morning. Grim photos showed hundreds of people waiting outside its terminal two, with the line stretching dangerously close to a multi-lane road that takes drivers to and from the travel hub. A TikTok user called ray_elijahsmom shared a shocking video showing the miserable-looking line of tourists stretching far outside the building in the humid Missouri summer heat. Those stuck outside had little access to food or water, further heightening the discomfort endured Many had to wait in line for three hours and ended up missing their flights despite technically arriving at the airport early. Airport spokesman Roger Lotz told 5 On Your Side that a Seventh Day Adventist conference in the city attended by 50,000 people had ended the day before. He said that had caused a sudden and unexpected influx of people early Sunday all wanting to get home from the conference before returning to work on Monday. The airport explained that many of the conference attendees had wanted to check bags and that few were members of expedited security programs like TSA-Pre-Check or CLEAR, further slowing operations down. A spokesperson added: 'This led to the airport ticket counters and TSA security lines being overwhelmed. St. Louis Lambert International Airport apologizes for any delay experienced on Sunday.' But that was little comfort to scores of travelers who missed flights. Southwest marked some of those stuck in the lines as 'no shows.' That means anyone missing flights can only get vouchers to put towards another one instead of a refund. Fox2 reported that one unidentified passenger had been left out of pocket to the tune of $12,000, but didn't offer any more information as to how they incurred the eye-watering loss. Monica Villarreal was in St Louis from Houston for a jewelry convention and says it took her more than two hours to reach the TSA checkpoint. Passengers spent hours outside in sweltering heat with limit access to food or water with many ultimately missing their flights 'It's the longest I've ever waited. And I'm from Houston.', she said, referring to the Texas city's famously busy airports. Another flyer told 5 On Your Side that they'd been able to cancel flights and get refunds but warned 'it's going to get ugly.' The airport eventually processed the worst of the lines by early afternoon with normal operations resuming Monday morning.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Blumenthal, officials warn Connecticut travelers to check passports for validity
MERIDEN, Conn. (WTNH) — With the summer travel season in full swing, the Connecticut Passport Agency and U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) are warning travelers about a lesser-known passport rule that can cause confusion and delays. It can also cost travelers thousands of dollars. New traffic pattern at Tweed-New Haven airport aims to reduce congestion Sanatana Edmonds with the agency is urging people to 'check your passports to ensure six months of validity left on them.' Officials say several destinations in Europe, the Middle East and Asia require a person's passport to be valid for three to six months after their departure or entry date. It's not only countries, according to Blumenthal. He says some airlines also follow the rule. 'They'll look at your passport and they'll say 'we can't let you on the plane,'' he said. 'We've seen people lose money, but more heartbreak.' In addition to checking your documents and renewing your passport if necessary, you can visit to see your passport's validity for your destination. Blumenthal's office will be hosting Passport Day on Thursday from 12-7 p.m. at 90 State House Square in Hartford. Staff will assist individuals with renewals, first-time passport applications, and TSA PreCheck enrollment. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
