|
Issue: Volume XXV
BLACK DIAMOND SCREENING
LANES [Top
Of Page]
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will
expand the "Self-Select Lanes" security screening program to six
additional airports by the end of April.
Originally fielded at airports in Salt
Lake City and in Denver, the program’s designations
are modeled after the ski slope icons symbolizing level of
difficulty: green, blue and black diamond. Green lanes are primarily
for families, blue lanes for casual travelers, and black diamond for
expert travelers who are fully prepared for the checkpoint (think
business travelers who arrive at the security gate with laptops out
and shoes off). Although all travelers receive the same level
of security screening based on their needs, security processing for
those in the black diamond lines is expedited.
The TSA’s intent is to improve the passenger screening
experience, providing customized and appropriate service, while
increasing security. At the same time, grouping travelers according
to their level of familiarity with the security process reduces
pressure on the lines and improves customer service. So far the
program is running on the honor system.
TSA is in the process of selecting additional airports.
Airport selection will be based on a number of factors, including
checkpoint configuration, stakeholder support and passenger
population. The two inaugural airports using the system have
seen an increase in screening efficiency and increased customer
satisfaction.
SCHENGEN AGREEMENT
EXPANSION [Top
Of Page]
As of April 1, 2008, citizens of states participating in
the Schengen Agreement can now bypass the passport controls in the
airports of 9 new member countries: Malta, Poland, the Czech
Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuani, Hungary, Slovakia and
Slovenia.
The Schengen Agreement, which abolished systematic border
controls between participating countries, was finalized in
1990. Its scope includes provisions on common policy for
temporary entry into participating countries (Schengen Visa),
standardization of external border controls, and cross-border police
and judicial co-operation.
Schengen zone countries must demonstrate adequate airport
policies, including special departure gates for Schengen passengers,
and appropriate ticket and security checks, in order to
participate.
Initial members included Austria, Germany, Belgium,
Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxemburg, Norway,
Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and The Netherlands. Today, in all, 31
states, including 27 states and four non-EU members (Iceland,
Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland, are subject to all or some of
the Schengen rules. The agreement affects more than 400 million
people and a total area of 1,648,128 square miles. Switzerland,
Cyprus and Liechtenstein are expected to join the Schengen Agreement
later this year, while Bulgaria and Romania hope to do so by
2011.
A common Schengen visa allows visitors unfettered access to
all Schengen full member countries. Holders of residence permits to
a Schengen state enjoy the freedom of travel to other Schengen
states for a period of up to three months. Road, rail and air
passengers no longer have their identity checked by border guards
when crossing borders. (Security checks by commercial airlines are
still required.)
U.S. citizens may visit any Schengen state for
90 days without a visa (certain other nationals also have this
privilege, including Japan, New Zealand, Australia, much of South
America and several other countries). Non-EU citizens of most
other parts of the world, will first need to obtain a common
Schengen Visa from the Embassy or Consulate of the Schengen country
of their main destination, or, if such main destination cannot be
identified, the state they intend to visit first; they may then
visit any of the participating Schengen countries.
The visa is granted in the form of a sticker affixed by a
Member State onto a passport, travel document or another valid
document which entitles the holder to cross the border. It is
available in several categories from the embassies and consulates of
participating countries. Schengen visas will only be granted to
individuals who can prove they have travel assistance coverage for
emergency medical treatment and repatriation.
HEALTH EMERGENCIES AT
35,000 FEET [Top
Of Page]
As airline passenger traffic has increased (as well as
passenger age and flight length), so has the number of in-flight
medical emergencies. Recent stories in the news have
highlighted emergency medical landings, illnesses in the air, even
on-plane deaths.
Airlines are not required to report on in-flight illness or
death; estimates of on-plane mortality in the last 5 years range
from 95 deaths to 219 deaths. Medical emergencies aboard
commercial flights doubled from 2000 to 2006, from 19 to 35 per 1
million passengers.
The pressurization and dryness of the airline cabin,
combined with the possibility of pre-trip jostling, toting of heavy
bags, anxiety, jet lag, changes to eating/drinking habits, cramped
seating and other factors cause certain strains on the
body. Healthy people can take these stresses without
difficulty, but those same stresses can send other passengers over
the edge.
Though data is sketchy due to lack of required reporting,
some facts have been gleaned from providers like MedAire, a company
that specializes in handling in-flight medical
emergencies. They have found that the most common medical
crisis in flight is neurological, which can range from a fainting
spell to a seizure to a stroke, and that last year there were 5,837
calls about neurological emergencies, causing 266 emergency
diversions. Other leading causes for in-flight deaths and
medically-related flight diversions are diabetes, seizure disorders,
heart and respiratory ailments, and food
poisoning.
According to USA TODAY:
- There are more deaths from in-flight medical emergencies
than from airline accidents.
- Of passengers with medical emergencies in-flight, those
aged 51 and older accounted for 83% of 63 in-flight deaths and 59%
of 550 medical-related flight diversions in
2006.
- Analyzing 911 dispatch data from 10 agencies that
operate major airports (such as LAX and Dallas-Fort Worth
International), eight of those agencies reported that crews were
sent to help a very sick passenger at least once a
week.
- 559 reports were filed to a NASA database from 1998 to
2006 regarding in-flight illnesses. In 25% of the cases, crews
said onboard medical emergencies caused potentially dangerous
flying situations, such as diverted jets landing overweight due to
excess fuel (sometimes blowing tires) and flying faster than
allowed by aviation regulations.
- Security measures taken after the 9/11 terrorist
attacks, including removal of cabin phones and securing of cockpit
doors, make communication with doctors on the ground
difficult. Flight crew generally relay emergency medical
information from the planes cabin via intercom to the pilots, who
communicate with doctors on the ground. This chain of
communication makes assessment of symptoms and treatment a
challenge for physicians.
At minimum, airplanes are generally equipped with oxygen,
defibrillators, bandages, gloves, aspirin, allergy treatments and
cardiac medications; many airlines have more robust medical supplies
onboard. Flight crews, who are alerted to onboard medical
emergencies via four rings of the aircraft’s chimes, are trained in
basic lifesaving techniques; any medical personnel traveling on a
plane may be asked to help with a health
emergency.
Pilots make the ultimate decision of whether or not to
divert a flight, but even if they do, the process of making an
emergency landing usually takes well over an hour even in the best
of conditions.
Passengers can also do their part in preventing in-flight
medical situations.
- Carry adequate supplies of prescribed medicine in your
carry-on bag
- Carry a copy of your medical history
- Carry phone numbers for your doctor(s) and family
members (and Assist America)
- During the flight, drink plenty of fluids but avoid
alcohol
- If you have a chronic medical condition, consult your
doctor for pre-trip testing and “fit to fly” clearance—this is
especially important for flyers with heart or lung disease,
asthma, emphysema, history of blood clots, seizures, stroke or
diabetes
- Leave copies of your passport and drivers license with
someone back home so that if they are lost or stolen, a copy can
easily be faxed
Do not attempt to fly:
- If you are feeling very ill (especially with relapsing
illness, chest pains, dizziness or
trouble
breathing), or against doctor’s
orders
- If you have inner ear problems or infection
- If you have recently had a penetrating injury to the
eye
- If you have a small or large bowel obstruction
- I f you have had
a heart attack, stroke or coronary artery stent placement within
the last two to
three weeks
- If you have unstable angina or poorly controlled
congestive heart failure or arrhythmias
- If you are 34 or more weeks pregnant (new babies are
generally fit to fly 48 hours after
normal
delivery)
- You have epilepsy not controlled by medication
- You have suffered recent trauma to your lower limbs or
abdomen
- If you have
recently (within the last 6 weeks) had a craniotomy, air
encephalogram, abdominal
surgery or any major
surgery
- You have severe lung disease
- If you have pneumothorax without a thoracic drain
- If you have acute sinusitis or facial injuries with
sinus hemorrhage
- You have had recent oral surgery, especially for
abscesses
- You have a wired jaw
- If you have gone SCUBA diving within the last 12 hours,
or deep-sea diving below 50 feet within
the previous 48
hours
Remember to call Assist America if you have a medical
emergency while traveling. We will help to determine whether
you are fit to fly, and if not, will arrange to bring you home,
safely, when the time is right.
FROM THE ASSIST AMERICA CASE FILES:
THE PITS IN ST. KITTS [Top
Of Page]
Flu-like symptoms of fever, chills and headache
brought Carl*, a 22-year old studying on the island of St. Kitts, to
the school infirmary for evaluation, and the nurse there was
concerned enough to send him to the hospital. By the time he
reached the medical facility, he had developed a rash and abdominal
pain, and was looking jaundiced. The doctors ran a panel of
tests, all of which were inconclusive.
Carl’s treating physician knew—regardless of the ambiguity
of the test results—that his symptoms could point to any of three
potentially life-threatening diseases, and a major component of all
of them was renal failure. Assist America knew—although
Carl was stable at present—that if he went into renal failure the
situation would become dire: the island’s medical facility was
very basic and not equipped with a dialysis machine. Together
we agreed that Carl needed to be moved to a hospital capable of
providing a higher standard of care.
Within 24 hours, Assist America arranged for a bed for Carl
at a hospital in Puerto Rico and
moved him via medically-staffed air ambulance and ground
transportation at both ends of the journey. He was admitted
immediately into the waiting hospital bed and diagnosed with
leptospirosis and viral hepatitis—conditions that, left untreated,
would most certainly have caused renal failure. After a week of
treatment in the hospital he was discharged and was well enough to
continue his studies. We provided his commercial carrier air
transportation and he returned to St. Kitts without any
problems.
*name has been
changed for privacy
AIRPORT PERFORMANCE REPORT [Top
Of Page]
Airlines are not the only ones suffering from poor
performance and complaints these days. Forbes Magazine, in
conjunction with an organization called FlightStats, recently
tallied the most delayed airports (arrivals and departures) in the
world. The study looked only at international airports that
served at least 10 million passengers in 2006, and defined a “delay”
as at least 15 minutes behind schedule. Here’s what they
found:
Bring a Book to Brazil
Brasilia International Airport scored
worst for on-time departures. In 2007, fewer than 27% of
flights took off within 15 minutes of their scheduled
departure.
In Sao Paolo, Guarulhos
International
Airport had
a 41% on-time departure rate and 59% on time arrival rate, with
Congonhas
International
Airport only slightly better
at 43% on-time departure and 54% on-time arrival. Rio de
Janeiro'’s airport record is
similar.
Asia
, Africa & Europe
Beijing Capital International Airport ranks
second worst for on-time departures, with only 33% leaving as
planned.
Flights at Cairo International (Egypt) left as scheduled only 47% of
the time; at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris (France), the least on-schedule
airport in Europe—on-time departure
rates are estimated at 50%.
More often than not at the Mumbai and Delhi (India) airports, planes
did not land on time, putting them at the top of the list for least
timely arrivals.
Plan to Nap in New York
LaGuardia and Newark International Airports virtually tied for
most delayed arrivals, with just 58% of flights arriving on time. At
JFK International, which sees 44 million passengers annually, things
are not much better: more than 40% of flights arrive
late.
Smoother Sailing
So which airports are at the top of their game? Look
to Korea and
Japan. Seoul’s Gimpo
International is the most efficient airport for arrivals, with 95%
of commercial flights landing on time; Jeju International scored
94%.
Japan'
’s Osaka Itami International
boasts a 92% on-time arrival record and 97% on-time
departures. Tokyo’s Haneda airport, which sees
66 million passengers annually, has a 93% on-time departure
rate. In total, Japan has six airports in
the top 10 for punctuality.
For more information, visit: http://www.forbes.com/ or
http://www.flightstats.com/
WHEELCHAIR ASSISTANCE...NEEDS
ASSISTANCE? [Top
Of Page]
If you find yourself with a sprained ankle, broken leg or
other injury or illness while traveling and require wheelchair
assistance, plan ahead. Though airlines are obligated to comply
with the Air Carrier Access Act and provide free, prompt
car-to-plane seat wheelchair assistance to compromised passengers,
obtaining such assistance is becoming a challenge as more disabled
and elderly people travel by plane.
A study by the U.S. government shows
that in the last three years, 34,000 passengers-in-need filed
complaints (1.07 complaints per 100,000 passengers) with airlines,
and 54% of those complaints have been about inadequate wheelchair
assistance.
Contract providers hired by the airlines are usually
responsible for handling wheelchair assistance needs. Those
companies often furnish untrained staff working at low wages, which
result in the substandard service. In addition to numerous
complaints of wheelchair unavailability, missed flights and delays
in de-boarding, there have been isolated reports of disabled flyers
having to instruct their attendants in how to operate the
wheelchair, of having to borrow a vehicle from other private
passengers, even—in one case—of being stranded by attendants for 24
hours at Chicago O’Hare.
The demand for wheelchair assistance and occasional lapse
in providing it is attributable to many factors,
including:
- Increase in airline departure/arrival delays and
cancellations make accurate wheelchair assistance scheduling more
challenging.
- The U.S. population is
growing older. It is estimated that by 2030, nearly 24% of
the U.S. population will be
disabled.
- Developments in medicine allow longer, more active lives
for the injured and disabled, including air travel.
- Lack of formal regulations for requesting/using an
airport wheelchair allows any passenger to access it ahead of
another.
Some tips for injured or disabled travelers:
- Book a ticket that gives you plenty of time (1.5 to 2
hours) between flights—special needs passengers are always the
first to board, but often the last off the plane. Allow plenty of
time for your plane to be late and for delays in gate attendants
providing terminal transport.
- Inform your air carrier of any special needs ahead of
time, not only online but on the phone. Tell them if you
require assistance getting to your gate, if you need an aisle
chair to get on and off the plane, if you have a service animal
with you, and if you have any specific seating requests,
etc.
- Print your boarding passes before getting to the
airport—it will save time even if you have to wait in line to
check your bags.
- Make use of laws that allow injured or disabled
travelers to bypass airport security lines. Approach a security
official and they will direct you through a separate
entrance. Others in your party may be required to go through
the regular detectors.
- Proceed immediately to your gate and remind the agent of
your special needs.
- Use the restroom before boarding—flight attendants are
not required to assist you onboard.
- Just before preparation for landing starts, remind the
flight attendant that you will need help departing the
plane.
If you become ill or injured due to an emergency while
traveling away from home, and require any kind of assistance, call
Assist America—we can arrange specifically for your transport
through the terminals in addition to many other custom
services.
For the latest, up-to-date information regarding key
regions, click on the links below:
AFRICA
EAST ASIA & PACIFIC
EUROPE & EURASIA
NEAR EAST
SOUTH & CENTRAL ASIA
WESTERN HEMISPHERE
Back to top of page
Sources for this
document include, but are not limited to: CNN, ABC News, AP, Forbes,
Flightstats.com, USA Today, The CDC, The U.S. State
Department.
|