Here’s a rundown of how some companies are advising their guests to plan for scheduled trip with the new regulations. Woven into their comments and below are also tips for travelers who are taking an adventure travel trip independently.
Country Walkers Is Contacting Clients
Country Walkers immediately called all of its guests on tours departing through September 1 to tell them the tours are proceeding as scheduled, remind travelers of the new restrictions and suggest they contact airlines directly to inquire about schedule changes and recommendations regarding airport security. All guides and guests currently on tour were also apprised of the situation, assuring assistance with return flight arrangement that may be altered or contacting family members if plans are changed.
Mountain Travel Sobek Has a Website Alert
As Nadia Billia Le Bon, Director of Special Programs for Mountain Travel Sobek–The Adventure Company puts it: "Our people in the field, whether Tanzania or another European country, will do their best to assist travelers in obtaining what they need for the trip. Given that our trips are fully inclusive, from being met at the airport upon arrival, to being escorted throughout, the travelers will have no problems in dealing with missing items."
It’s Been Quiet At Butterfield & Robinson
"At this time, we have not had any calls to our European office for assistance with such a request. Its been relatively quiet for us over there. “ reports Alina Goldstein, the PR Manager for Butterfield & Robinson. “Our guides are great at helping travelers with any special needs they may have. We’ve had situations when travelers bags have been lost by the airline and our guides have assisted them in getting all the essentials they need until their luggage has been recovered."
The other good companies featuring adventure travel trips should do likewise.
If your trip leaves within the next week or two, for sure allow lots of extra time at the airport. Call your airline or go to the airport’s website to see what are the new suggested arrival times.
Advice for Independent Adventure Travelers
If you’re considering delaying an adventure travel trip that you’ve planned independently, contact the airline to learn their policy about cancelling or changing flights during the current elevated terrorist alert. It varies from airline to airline. Time needed to work through airport security may also be expanded dramatically, at least for the next few weeks. If you’re working with a travel agent in a foreign country, email or call to see how much it would cost you to put the trip off for a few months.
Any traveler who has trip insurance should call the company and reconfirm the parameters of the trip interruption/trip cancellation portion of their policy that relates to potential terrorist activities in the region they are going to visit.
The biggest concerns now revolve around cameras and laptops which, so far, are still allowed. But, for the moment you may have to forget about bringing back that bottle of duty-free scotch.
Get the Latest TSA Updates
As the new regulations keep evolving, it’s also a smart move to check out the “Frequently Asked Questions” the Transportation Security Administration’s website. Learn abut the latest info from TSA here.
