Business Travel Tips

According to a survey conducted by The Ponemon Institut, over 10,000 laptops are lost or stolen each week at U.S. airports, with half them containing confidential corporate information.

The study was released last month as Dell, which sponsored it, introduced its new laptop data protection services for business travelers. Security industry executive Richard Stiennon, suggested advice on how to avoid laptop loss at the airport security checkpoint.

1. First, you should keep your laptop separated from the person behind you and in front of you. In order to do it, place your laptop in the first bin at the checkpoint with laptop bag placed in front of it. Put a second bin with your shoes, belt, wallet, etc. right behind your laptop. Your carry-on bag should go last. The first thing you should do on the other side is put your laptop in its briefcase.
2. Mark your laptop with a sticker.
3. If you lose your laptop contact the TSA immediately. Call the airport.

Last June 21, in the U.S., Transportation Security Administration (TSA) introduced its ID requirements for flyers.
TSA provided stats related to ID requirements over the period: Saturday, June 21-Wednesday, June 25:

- Total flyers: Approximately 10 million
- Flyers without ID: 1705 (.000017 of total flyers);
- Flyers denied access: 59 (.000005 of total passengers);
- Average wait time for identity verification or decision: 6.9 minutes.
(source)

In the effort to clear some of the misconceptions of the new requirements, TSA, in the case of forgetting to bring your id with you, says: “If you simply state you forgot your ID, we will work with you to verify your ID, you may undergo some additional screening and will be permitted to fly. On the other hand, if you do not cooperate and state that you’re not willing to show us your ID, you will not be permitted to fly.”

The stats show that of the 1705 flyers have shown up to security checkpoints without ID just 59 have not been allowed to fly.

Last week, Delta Air Lines, in partnership with Transportation Security Administration (TSA), began testing paperless mobile check-in for domestic travel from New York-LaGuardia (LGA) to any U. S. airport.

Checking in online from the comfort of home or office has become quite popular, but Delta’s paperless mobile check-in means that, the check-in process can take place from anywhere, at any time within 24 hours of flight departure.

If the test will be successfully completed in LaGuardia, Delta will leverage paperless check-in across its domestic system, to and from any U. S. airport. (source)

A new program, Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), was launched for travelers coming to the U.S. from the 27 countries currently listed under the visa waiver program. Under this program, which will be effective starting January 2009, passengers will have to register with the US government no later than 72 hours before departure.

The new rules aim to make it more difficult for potential terrorists to enter the United States from Western Europe, Singapore, New Zealand, Japan and Australia.
“Getting this information in advance enables our frontline personnel to determine whether a visa-free traveler presents a threat, before boarding an aircraft or arriving on our shores” the Department of Homeland Security said.
The government will ask for the same information — such as passport number, country of residence, disclosure of communicable diseases, that travelers currently fill out on the I-94 card which is handed out on the plane and turned in to customs on arrival in the United States.

Travelers may register with the US government beginning in August, and the information will remain valid for two years so that it is not necessary to repeat the same process in that time period.

They may apply for an ESTA authorization on the Internet at a US government website — https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/ , which will accept applications beginning August 1.

Anyway, as beginning January 2009, travelers will need to receive an electronic travel authorization prior to boarding a US-bound airplane, Department of Homeland Security suggest them to seek an ESTA approval as soon as they start planning a US trip, and no later than 72 hours before departure.

How does a corporation quickly and easily locate travelers who might be impacted by an event somewhere in the world? And, how does the corporation also ensure that policies related to the maximum number of employees or executives on one flight are followed to avoid worst-case scenarios?

To address these questions, Sabre Travel Network today announced that corporations now can get direct access to near real-time information to allow them to easily and quickly locate employee travelers in seconds and respond quickly in the event of an emergency or travel disruption.

Sabre’s Traveler Security and Data Suite is a web-based solution that provides the ability to quickly locate travelers worldwide and get detailed information such as travel reservation and personal contact information.
Through it, corporations can also identify potential security concerns with planned travel – such as identifying when the number of executives on one flight has been exceeded.

Sabre first launched the Travel Security and Data Suite in mid-2007. The new release now allows corporate agencies that subscribe to the solution to provide direct access to their corporate clients for immediate 24/7 access to the same information, as well as the ability to define and create their own reports.
The access is available through an interactive, easy-to-use web application, available via a secure link.

The Travel Security and Data Suite, supported in six languages, is currently available in North America, Latin America, the United Kingdom and most European markets. For additional information, visit Travel Security and Data Suite page.