Japan quietly this year relaunched and expanded its Trusted Traveler Program (TTP), which allows select travelers to use automated gates when entering and exiting the country. We have previously covered our application and the airport inspection and TTP card issuance experiences (read more here and here). I yesterday used the program for the first time … [Read more…]
There is a new low in Canada–India relations after India allegedly was involved in the killing of a Sikh Canadian on Canadian soil. India halted visa issuance for Canadians on Thursday, but Canada continues to issue visas to Indians. Existing visas that India has issued are valid. The suspension of visa issuance to Canadians applies … [Read more…]
Air Belgium has decided to cease its scheduled passenger operations effective October 3, 2023, and has filed for court-supervised reorganization. The airline has operated flights on behalf of other airlines (wet lease), and they will continue these operations and cargo flights. You can access Air Belgium here. The airline will operate scheduled flights to South … [Read more…]
Venice City Council approved a plan to start charging a fee on specific busy dates in 2024 for those who don’t stay in the city overnight. The fee is just 5 euros and will be collected on 30 days next year around the busy Spring and Summer weekends when they wish to see fewer visitors. … [Read more…]
Japan extended the Trusted Traveler Program (TTP) eligibility just when the pandemic began and reinstated it earlier this year when both Sebastian (read more here) and I (read more here) applied and covered our processes. The registered TTP users can use automated lanes when entering and exiting the country but need to apply for the … [Read more…]
After about two months of intermitent strikes and walk-outs by hotel workers in Southern California, Unite Here Local 11, the union representing them, has called for industrial action on about 60 hotels in the greater Los Angeles/Orange County area. If you’re travelling to Los Angeles this week (as am I), you may find pickets taking … [Read more…]
Transport sector strikes in France are set to continue in September as the Air Traffic Controllers have given notice of a one-day long work stoppage amid the Rugby World Cup. You can expect widespread disruption not only to flights set to land and take off at various French airports but also to those that utilize … [Read more…]
The airlines flying to/from the UK and Ireland and those utilizing their airspace faced headwinds on Monday due to a complete system meltdown at the UK NATS that controls the airspace. NATS has published an update that the issue has been resolved, but there will be significant changes and delays on flights due to depart … [Read more…]
On Friday (August 4, 2023), Japan suspended the registration and card issuance for its Trusted Traveler Program with no advance notice but resumed the service today (August 7, 2023). Japan launched a Trusted Travel Program (TTP) in 2017 with very scarce information about its eligibility requirements (read more here, here, and here). You can access … [Read more…]
Japan launched a Trusted Travel Program (TTP) in 2017 with very scarce information about its eligibility requirements (read more here, here, and here). The program was relaunched with little fanfare in early 2023, and the eligibility criteria were significantly expanded. Sebastian and I wrote about our application experiences (read more here and here). You can … [Read more…]