The news was filled with scary stories this week as a fatal crash in India and protests around the country brought a collective gasp to the travel industry. What can you do to keep your attendees safe and reassure them? We asked the experts.
As always, Smart Travel is here to bring you the latest must-read travel and tourism news.
A Rare Dreamliner Accident
Your international attendees might be questioning the safety of their travel plans in the wake of the crash of an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner flight moments after takeoff Thursday from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (AMD) in Ahmedabad, India, with 242 people onboard. The flight bound for London’s Gatwick Airport (LGW) was the first recorded incident of a totally destroyed Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a model that had its first flight in 2009, according to a report by NPR. The cause of the crash is still being investigated.
The fact that the accident happened immediately after takeoff is not surprising to airline safety experts. According to flight instruction site Aviation Journeys, takeoff and climbing is the time a plane is most vulnerable to severe mechanical failures. Landing is the other hypercritical time.
During takeoff, the aircraft must gain altitude and speed as soon as possible. During takeoff, the engine is at high RPM, high temperature and high power. The pilot manually controls the airplane and possible hazards include fire, failure of one engine, bird strike, tire blowout and tail strike.
During the climb phase, the crew must retract landing gear and flaps, perform take-off procedures and keep an eye out for unexpected engine failure or burning.
How do you know if a plane from another country is safe? The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) notes that under the International Convention on Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention) each country is responsible for the safety oversight of its own air carriers. Other countries can only conduct specific surveillance activities, principally involving inspection of required documents and the physical condition of aircraft.
The FAA does conduct an International Aviation Safety Assessment Program, however, assessing the Civil Aviation Authority of each country that has carriers operating to the United States. If the review meets standards, the FAA gives that authority a Category 1 rating. That is something you might suggest attendees traveling internationally to look for when booking a flight.
Putting Protests in Perspective
As Los Angeles finds itself in the eye of breaking international headlines again, Visit California President and CEO Caroline Beteta is providing context for the immigration enforcement and protest actions she described as “a deeply emotional, polarizing and highly visible national conversation.”
Similar to the confusion about the impact of fires earlier this year, Beteta explained in a note to subscribers that Los Angeles County covers more than 4,000 square miles, making it larger than five U.S. states by area and more populous than 40. The images being shown are confined to a small area—specifically the city of Paramount and the Downtown Federal Building.
Southern California is also not the only place where protests are happening and National Guard soldiers are being deployed. Texas Governor Greg Abbott deployed 5,000 Texas National Guard troops to Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio—where Cvent Connect was hosting its final day. The protests there remained peaceful and no clashes were reported. Protests in Austin and Dallas resulted in some clashes with police, who used chemical irritants to disperse crowds, and a dozen people were arrested.
More protests are expected over the weekend, so working with the local convention and visitors bureau to get an idea of what areas should be avoided can help keep sprinter vans and buses out of traffic bottlenecks. The local experts can also advise if any curfews or other restrictions are in place where you are planning to meet.
Travel Bans Go into Effect with Minimal Reported Impact to Airport Security Wait Times
President Donald Trump’s new ban on travel to the U.S. by citizens from a dozen countries took effect Monday with relative calm, as some travelers with valid visas reported extra scrutiny at American airports before being allowed entry.
The ban targeting mainly African and Middle Eastern countries kicked off with no immediate signs of the chaos that unfolded at airports across the U.S. during Trump’s first travel ban in 2017, according to AP News.
In the meantime, you might advise international attendees to arrive at the airport a little earlier and brush up on best practices for a smooth screening. According to Travel Sentry, that includes applying for Global Entry—even if that might help most for next year’s conference since wait times are between two weeks after the application interview and 12-24 months if a manual review is required, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
