Travel Update-Weekly Edition

* Please note that Newark (EWR) is not included in the New York JFK transition.
All of these flights currently operate from Heathrow Terminal 4, amounting to about a quarter of our schedule in the terminal. British Airways is moving their remaining long haul flights in a phased approach to ensure they can deliver high standards of customer service. The rest of our long haul flights will move when BA has full confidence they are prepared. Terminal 5 is now working well with the current number of flights. BA has operated a full schedule to and from the terminal for more than two weeks and they are receiving an increasing volume of positive feedback from customers. The Terminal 5 baggage system is now outperforming BA's other baggage systems, with performance figures surpassing our historical averages at Terminal 4. Punctuality has also seen significant improvement with around 75% of flights departing from Heathrow within 15 minutes of scheduled departure time in the past week. BA will continue to work with BAA to make further improvements to their operations. When BA made their original announcement delaying the next phase of flight moves to Terminal 5, they updated the reservations systems to reflect the longer minimum connecting time between Terminal 4 and Terminal 5. This affected some customers who would not have sufficient time to make their onward connection. A refund or re-booking policy was put in place for those affected customers due to travel between April 30th and June 4th (inclusive). As seventy five percent of BA's long haul operation will now remain in Terminal 4 for the time being, this may affect additional travelers who will now have insufficient time to make their onward connection. Travelers that are affected, they will be notified by T&T and reaccommodated as necessary. 

State Dept Travel Warnings and Public announcements - For the full announcements or further detail on Travel Warnings and Public Announcements, please see  http://travel.state.gov/travel

Lebanon - On May 12 the U.S. Department of State issued the following Travel Warning for Lebanon: This Travel Warning is being issued to update information on security threats and ongoing political violence in Lebanon, and informs U.S. citizens of current safety and security concerns. The Department of State urges that Americans avoid all travel to Lebanon and that American citizens in Lebanon consider carefully the risks of remaining. This supersedes the Travel Warning for Lebanon issued on April 21, 2008. Violence broke out on May 7, 2008 in the capital, Beirut, when Hizballah militants blocked the road leading to Rafiq Hariri International Airport.  As of May 12, 2008, the airport remains inaccessible. There have been reports that Hizballah fighters continue to push into areas of Lebanon where they have not traditionally been prevalent.  In addition to the violence provoked by these incursions, the U.S. remains concerned about the threat of terrorist attacks against Western interests in Lebanon. Groups such as Al-Qaeda and Jund al-Sham are present in the country and have issued statements calling for attacks against Western interests in the past. The U.S. Embassy has suspended non-immigrant visa services as of Monday, May 12, 2008.  Normal visa services are expected to resume when conditions improve. The Embassy continues to provide emergency and routine American citizens services. Currently the American Embassy advises American citizens present in Lebanon to ensure they have an adequate supply of food, water and other essential items and to remain safely inside their homes.  Americans are encouraged to review their travel plans following resumption of normal air services. Current options for exit from Lebanon include:

Exit by land to Syria. – Overland routes to Syrian border crossings are open intermittently.  Those traveling by land to Syria technically need a Syrian visa issued in Washington.  Syrian officials have been issuing visas to Americans at the border; however, Americans have reported that they have had to wait for between five and eight hours in order to be cleared for departure.

Exit by sea to Cyprus.  – There are currently no ferry services to Cyprus.  The only sea route available has been via private boat rental.  The cost of a private yacht for passage to Cyprus is expensive.  Americans seriously interested in this option should identify like-minded people and pool their resources.

Landmines and unexploded ordnance continually pose significant dangers throughout southern Lebanon, particularly south of the Litani River, as well as in areas of the country where civil war fighting was intense. More than a dozen civilians have been killed and over 100 injured by unexploded ordnance following the armed conflict in July-August 2006. Travelers should watch for posted landmine warnings and strictly avoid all areas where landmines and unexploded ordnance may be present.

U.S. citizens traveling to Lebanon or resident in Lebanon should be aware that the U.S. Embassy has limited ability to reach all areas of Lebanon. The Embassy cannot guarantee that Embassy employees can render assistance to U.S. citizens in areas where there is limited government control. United States citizens are responsible for arranging commercial or private means of transportation to depart Lebanon. For Americans, individual or small-group travel out of the country remains the safest option.   U.S. Government-facilitated evacuations such as took place in 2006 occur only when no safe private alternatives exist.  Evacuation would be provided on a cost-recovery basis, which means the traveler must reimburse the U.S. government for the cost of the travel. The lack of valid travel documents (U.S. passport or U.S. visa, as appropriate) will slow the U.S. embassy’s ability to provide assistance. Further information on the department’s role during emergencies is provided at http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/tips/emergencies/emergencies_1212.html.

 

Sudan - On May 14 the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum issued the following Warden Message for Sudan: "This Warden Message is being issued to alert U.S. citizens of the need to exercise increased caution when traveling within the greater Khartoum area. Although the U.S. Embassy has received no information regarding the threat of continued armed conflict in the greater Khartoum area, the embassy has instructed its staff to avoid travel to Omdurman, with the exception of visits for official business purposes. A curfew remains in place in the central Umbeda district of Omdurman, from 5 p.m. to 6 a.m. The embassy has returned to its regular curfew hours, which are 12 midnight to 5 a.m. every day. The Department of State continues to advise against all travel to Sudan."

 

Yemen - On May 10 the U.S. Embassy in Sanaa issued the following Warden Message: "Due to increased security concerns for areas frequented by western tourists and residents, Embassy employees are no longer authorized to visit the Bab Al Yemen area in the old city of Sanaa. Embassy employees are not authorized to travel outside of Sanaa and have been advised to avoid hotels and tourist areas, and to strictly limit their exposure in public places until further notice. "U.S. citizens in Yemen should exercise caution and take prudent security measures, including maintaining a high level of vigilance, avoiding crowds and demonstrations, keeping a low profile, varying times and routes for all travel, and making contingency emergency plans such as ensuring travel documents are current. All American Citizens who have not already done so are urged to register with the U.S. Embassy."

Previous Updates