NEWS ITEMS
Travel Alert - Zimbabwe
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Bureau of Consular Affairs
This information is current as of today, Thu Jun 26 17:09:46 2008.
June 25, 2008
This Travel Alert updates safety and security concerns in Zimbabwe, and urges U.S. citizens to defer all travel to Zimbabwe at this time, and to consider relocating if necessary to ensure their security during the election period. The U.S. Embassy may periodically restrict the travel of U.S. government personnel outside the capital city or within Harare during certain hours. This supersedes the Travel Alert for Zimbabwe dated June 2 and expires on August 1, 2008.
U.S. citizens should defer all travel to Zimbabwe. U.S. citizens resident in Zimbabwe should carefully review their personal circumstances, avoid all travel after dark, and consider moving to a more secure location in advance of, and immediately following the scheduled June 27 runoff of the presidential election. Due to the uncertain security situation, the U.S. Embassy may periodically restrict the travel of official U.S. government personnel outside the capital city or within Harare during certain hours. Since the March 29 general election, Zimbabwean security forces, including some military and police, as well as so-called war veterans, have created a climate of intimidation and fear across the country. There have been numerous and widespread attacks on opposition supporters, renewed farm invasions, and arrests and beatings of election officials accused of vote tampering. There is a continued risk of arbitrary detention or arrest.
Americans should be particularly cautious when using still, video or telephone cameras in any urban setting or in the vicinity of any political activity, as this could be construed by Zimbabwean authorities as misrepresenting oneself as an accredited journalist, a crime punishable by arrest, incarceration and/or deportation.
American citizens traveling to or resident in Zimbabwe should register with the U.S. Embassy by completing a registration form online at https://travelregistration.state.gov. Registration enables the Embassy to contact American citizens in case of emergency and provide updates on the security situation. Important notices for American citizens are posted on the U.S. Embassy in Harare’s website at http://harare.usembassy.gov/warden2008.html.
As the Department of State continues to develop information on any potential security threats to U.S. citizens overseas, it shares credible threat information through its consular information program documents, available on the Internet at http://travel.state.gov. In addition to information on the Internet, travelers may obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the U.S. or outside the U.S. and Canada on a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444.
May
30th, 2008
Transportation of Firearms on SA Express flights has resumed. The following email was sent to PHASA in South Africa :
Hi Mariana
Please take note that we will be accepting firearms on all our flights
except to and from George. SAA will handle all firearms on behalf of SAX.
I do sincerely apologise for any inconvience caused.
Please circulate to the industry.
Regards
Anesh Hurdial
____________________________
Security Manager
South African Express Airways
Landline: 011 9785658
e-mail:
ahurdial@flysax.com <mailto:ahurdial@flysax.com>
October 29th
For the latest press release from SA Airlink regarding the carriage of firearms/shotguns click this link - SA Airlink Press Release
|
5 October 2007
Airlink discontinues transportation of firearms
Due to the inability to meet legal requirements
at many South African destinations, Airlink has had to re-evaluate their
policy regarding firearm transportation.
“Regrettably, Airlink has decided that it is not viable to continue with the
transportation of firearms to and from our all our destinations. In order to
accommodate the hunting industry, a valuable tourist attraction and economic
factor, we will therefore attempt to accommodate hunters by transporting their
rifles to destinations where they can be legally handled,” comments Mac
Makkink, Airlink Aviation Security Manager.
These changes only affect destinations in South Africa that are served by
Airlink. The changes do not affect our regional flights to neighbouring
countries. These continue normally.
Until 31 October 2007, Airlink will continue the current transportation
of all firearms to all stations except to the following:
• Mafikeng
• Mthatha
• Pietermaritzburg
• George
• Mala Mala
From 1 November 2007, hunting rifles will be transported to
and from the following destinations only:
• OR Tambo International, Johannesburg
• Cape Town
• Durban
• Port Elizabeth
• East London
• Bloemfontein
• Kimberly (Negotiations in process)
• Polokwane
• Phalaborwa
• Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, Nelspruit
• Upington (Negotiations in process)
20 September 2007AIRPORT OPERATIONS BAGGAGE SERVICES ADVISORY
SUBJECT: 1. CARRIAGE OF FIREARMS ON SA AIRLINK
2. CARRIAGE OF FIREARMS ON SA EXPRESS
3. CARRIAGE OF FIREARMS ON SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS
FOR COMPLETE INFORMATION REGARDING THE NEW REGULATIONS FOR THE CARRIAGE OF FIREARMS/AMMUNITION ON THE ABOVE AIRLINES PLEASE READ THE FULL MEMO BY CLICKING ON THE LINK BELOW.
/ 17SEP07 / 1749 UTC
(N13)
PASSPORT SIGNATURES
In the case when passports require the bearer to sign their
passport upon receipt of their passport, we would like to
remind travellers that usually the passport does not become
a valid legal travel document until the passport is signed.
Failure to sign the passport may lead to complications andpossible denied boarding or refused entry at immigration
checkpoints.
The German Border Police is reporting an increase in thenumber of cases of travellers arriving at German airports
and are refusing entry to travellers holding unsigned
passports.
Timaticweb Version 1.3
06 SEPTEMBER 2007
Ongoing ban on acceptance of firearms at some stations
Airlink regrets to advise that we are still not able to accept firearms for carriage to the below mentioned stations:
Mafikeng
Mthatha
Phalaborwa (we accept rifles, but not handguns)
Pietermaritzburg
We have not been able to obtain the services of certified security companies who can carry out this function for the airline.
Friday, August 10th, 2007
Delta strikes gold in SA
No USA carrier has operated successfully into sub Saharan Africa for almost twenty years, so it was somewhat ironic when the man whose job it was to turn off the lights then for Pan Am, was back in Johannesburg to report on Delta’s success.
South African-born director of sales for Africa, Middle East and India, Jimmy Eichelgruen told TravelHub that passenger numbers have not only proved the skeptics wrong, but also surprised Delta.
In eight months the airline has carried some 34 000 passengers originating in the USA and 46 000 originating in SA. While the average load factor has been 80 %, since mid June they have not had an empty economy seat available on any of their daily flights.
Equipment on the route will be upgraded from a Boeing 767-300 to a 767-400 with effect from October 27. The refurbished larger aircraft have 22 more seats of which seven are in business class. All passengers will now have leather seating and their own on-demand in-flight entertainment.
Eichelgruen said that Delta is now being taken seriously as a force that is helping develop South Africa tourism. This month Johannesburg features on the front cover of their in-flight magazine and the city will be positively exposed to their nine million passengers.
The flight from Atlanta is via Dakar in Senegal and is proving an attraction also for passengers from Latin America who would like to get to Africa, he said.
Friday, August 10, 2007 Story by: Dave Marsh
07 August 2007
Air
06 AUGUST 2007
MEET & GREET SERVICES OF COMMERCIAL AIRLINES
OR TAMBO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - JOHANNESBURG
I refer to correspondence received from Airports Company South Africa,dated 6 August 2007, in which we are notified Meet & Assist services must be discontinued with immediate effect. This affects all suppliers of Meet & Assist Services.
This is as a result of Immigration, Customs and Boarder Control Policies and NIA being put in place as control methods.
It is with regret that we need to inform our clients we are, in the meantime, unable to meet passengers at the air-bridges, or before Immigration Control. At this stage, the only area we are permitted to meet clients, is in the in the arrivals hall, public area. From this meeting point we will be able to assist passengers to their connecting check-in area, handover documents, etc. Charter aircraft handling, services will continue as normal.
26 MARCH 2007
NORTHWEST/KLM HAVE ANNOUNCED THE WITHDRAWAL OF CHARGES FOR FIREARMS AND HAVE UPDATED THEIR WEBSITE ACCORDINGLY.
http://www.nwa.com/travel/luggage/specialitems.html#fire
02 March 2007 - Effective 01 March 2007 NW/KLM have amended their baggage policy. One of these changes affects those passengers traveling with firearms. With immediate effect all gun cases are regarded as excess baggage and will be charged an excess baggage fee based on the actual size of the gun case. For complete details click the link below.
01 Jan 2007 - With effect from 01st January 2007, no hotels in Zimbabwe will accept MasterCard transactions. They do still accept Visa, Diners and Amex cards, or alternatively travelers can use foreign currency in small denominations (as you will be given change in Zimbabwean dollars).
02 Mar 2007 - South African Airways announced today that the Chicago service has been postponed indefinitely.
30 Nov 2006 - South African Airways announces new service between Chicago and Johannesburg to operate four times a week staring in May 2007. To read the press release - click here.
30 Nov 2006 - British Airways seating policy change.
We have made some changes to our policy in order to make the process of choosing a seat simpler and easier to understand.
To make more seats available at the time of check in we are reducing the number of seats that can be pre-assigned. This option will be limited to specific groups of travellers.
For more information visit ba.com/seating
starts daily
service from Atlanta to Johannesburg effective 04 December 2006. We are pleased
to announce that we have signed an agreement with Delta to offer you travel from
most cities served in the US to Johannesburg. Call for fares.
have advised they will
ensure passengers traveling with sporting weapons will get he attention and
service they require. They operate Boeing 767 service from Washington, Dulles
International, on Mondays, Wednesday, Thursdays and Saturdays with onward
connections to Dar Es Salaam, Kilimanjaro, Lusaka and Harare. Call for fares.
have announced a schedule change the Washington, Dulles International, route.
Effective 29 October they will now offer NON-STOP service to Johannesburg (the
return flight will, however, make a refueling stop in Dakar). The flight will
depart Dulles at 500pm arriving into Johannesburg the following afternoon at
245pm.Looking for TSA approved luggage locks. Visa Safe Skies Locks website at www.safeskieslocks.com