FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Raymond M. Flynt, President
Travelers Aid International
(202) 546-1127
info@travelersaid.org
TRAVELERS AID CAN PROVIDE SAFETY NET FOR UNEXPECTED PROBLEMS DURING 2006 HOLIDAY TRAVEL SEASON
Washington DC, December 19, 2006 – With a record holiday travel season predicted, Travelers Aid encourages travelers to prepare ahead.
Travelers Aid also wants the traveling public to know that the nonprofit network has “help desks” at 25 North American airports, 6 train stations and 10 bus terminals, to answer travelers’ questions, provide directions, and assist travelers in trouble. With fewer resources being devoted to customer service by the transportation industry, Travelers Aid expects to help a record number of passengers this season. Last year, Travelers Aid assisted 5.5 million passengers in transportation centers.
Travelers Aid offers a handy feature called “e-help” on the home page of its Web site www.travelersaid.org which allows distressed travelers to type in a description of their problem and receive a prompt, individualized e-mail response from a member of the group’s trained staff.
“There are many organizations and Web sites – including our own – that provide travel tips,” notes Ray Flynt, president/CEO of Travelers Aid International. “We urge travelers to heed these suggestions prior to their holiday trip. However, even with the best of planning, problems can develop beyond the traveler’s control. That’s where Travelers Aid steps in – with high-touch customer service during the traveler’s journey. Should they fall into a difficult situation, Travelers Aid and its 2,000 volunteers are the safety net there to help.” Services might include reuniting families who have become separated while traveling, providing food or shelter to people stranded without cash, or even emotional counseling.
TRAVELERS AID’s TOP 8 TRAVEL TIPS
1. PLAN AHEAD. Have a well-charged cell phone with you, a phone credit card, or buy a pre-paid telephone calling card.
2. NOTIFY FAMILY / FRIENDS OF YOUR TRAVEL PLANS. This tip sounds simple, but Travelers Aid encounters thousands of people annually who do not know airline, flight number, or transfer city information for their loved ones.
3. BE AWARE OF YOUR OWN SPECIAL NEEDS. Do you routinely take medicine? Are you traveling with an infant who needs special formula? How about a change of diapers in case that short one-hour flight turns into a five hour weather delayed journey? Pack these in your carry-on.
4. TAKE PHOTO IDENTIFICATION. Identification is required when purchasing bus and train tickets and must be presented at airline counters and airport security checkpoints.
5. PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. If you need additional assistance in getting to or from an airport gate, family members can arrange to get a pass from your airline ticket counter in order to accompany you to the gate or to meet an arriving flight. This pass will enable the person to go through the airport's security checkpoint (valid ID required).
6. CHECK ON PROHIBITED ITEMS IN ADVANCE. Did you know that five million items were confiscated at airport security checkpoints last year? Visit the Transportation Security Agency's Web site (tsa.gov) to check on what items are prohibited.
7. SAFEGUARDING YOUR MONEY. If you are traveling as a family, consider dividing the cash for your trip among the adult travelers.
8. TRAVEL ABROAD. The U.S. State Department (state.gov) has helpful information on its Web site for international travelers. Should you become stranded abroad, contact the nearest American Embassy/Consulate. In an emergency situation, American citizens can arrange for a loan through the embassy in order to return home.
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TRAVELERS AID LOCATIONS IN TRANSPORTATION CENTERS
AIRPORTS
Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson
Chicago O’Hare
Dallas/Fort Worth
Detroit Metro Wayne Co.
Houston (Hobby)
Houston (Bush Intercontinental)
Jacksonville
Las Vegas McCarran
Los Angeles (LAX)
Milwaukee
New York City (JFK)
Newark Liberty
Newport News/Williamsburg
Oklahoma City
Ontario (CA)
Orlando
Phoenix Sky Harbor
Pittsburgh
San Diego
San Francisco
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Tampa
Toronto, Canada
Washington Dulles
Washington Reagan National
TRAIN STATIONS
Boston, MA
Los Angeles, CA
Philadelphia, PA
San Diego, CA
Toronto, Canada
Washington, DC
BUS TERMINALS
Atlanta, GA
Charlotte, NC
Montgomery, AL
New Orleans, LA
Oakland, CA
Philadelphia, PA
Pittsburgh, PA
St. Louis, MO
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Washington, DC (nearby)
About Travelers Aid
Travelers Aid (TA) is the oldest, non-sectarian social welfare organization in the United States. The mission of Travelers Aid International is to advance and support a network of human service provider organizations committed to assisting individuals and families who are in transition or crisis and are disconnected from their support systems.
Travelers Aid International, based in Washington DC, oversees a network of 54 social service agencies and help desks in transportation centers, including 25 airports, throughout the United States, Canada and Australia. The national office supports and assists its member organizations through communications, education, advocacy and standard-setting. It also directly operates local TA programs in Washington DC (Union Station, Reagan National and Dulles International Airports) and in the New York area at JFK and Newark Liberty International Airports.
Travelers Aid has become known as the “Number One name in airport customer assistance.” In 2005, TA assisted 5.5 million individuals at transportation centers and provided casework services to an additional 200,000 individuals in crisis. While each member agency shares the core service of helping stranded travelers, many Travelers Aid agencies provide shelter for the homeless, transitional housing, job training, counseling, local transportation assistance and other programs to help people in their communities who encounter crises as they journey through life.
Travelers Aid International
1612 K Street NW, Suite 206
Washington DC 20006
P (202) 546-1127 F (202) 546-9112
www.travelersaid.org