Travel News You Can Use
By Judy Newell

International News

Castro’s resignation to have no immediate effect on US travel

Fidel Castro’s resignation on February 19 is expected to have no immediate effect on laws preventing US travelers from visiting the country, says author Christopher P. Baker, who has written five books about Cuba.

Baker said that the end of Castro’s reign would not result in any immediate re-establishing of diplomatic relations between the US and Cuba. 

“Fidel’s resignation offers a new opportunity for the US to revisit the value of current restrictions and to reaffirm our constitutional rights to travel to Cuba as a first step towards respecting Cuba’s sovereignty and putting us in step with the rest of the world,” Baker says. “That’s not going to happen anytime soon. However, President Bush’s successor, it is hoped, might respond with greater imagination.”

Baker says a recent study estimated three million US citizens would visit Cuba annually five years after restrictions were lifted. An Associated Press study that showed 62 percent of Americans thought the US should re-establish diplomatic relations with Cuba and that 40 percent would travel to Cuba if the ban were lifted.

Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte said on February 19 that the US will not soon lift its embargo on Cuba despite Fidel Castro’s resignation. Asked by reporters at the State Department if Washington planned to change its Cuba policy now that Castro has stepped down, Negroponte replied: “I can’t imagine that happening anytime soon.” He declined further comment.

Europe may start fingerprinting visitors 

On February 13, the European Commission proposed mandatory fingerprinting for all foreign visitors to most countries in the European Union. Americans and other visitors who don’t need visas may have to touch fingerprint scanners on their way through immigration, says the Wall Street Journal. 

What’s more, even though they still will not need to apply for visas, Americans may have to fill out an online form with their name, destinations and how their travel ticket was paid for, before departing for an EU country, says the International Herald Tribune. The information would be checked against EU visitor blacklists. Eventually, the EU may require digitalized facial images, too.

The plan is expected to be approved this year, but will not go into effect until 2015—if approved as expected, says Reuters.

The US already requires Europeans to submit fingerprints (for all 10 fingers) when crossing its borders. Japan requires fingerprints and photos of visitors, says The Washington Post.

Data systems in the US and Europe will store passenger data for 13 years, including email addresses, phone numbers and credit card information used to purchase flight tickets, says Time magazine.

Airport Security: Heathrow rolls out eye scanners

Like a scene out of a sci-fi movie, Heathrow airport in London is requiring some connecting passengers to undergo iris scans and get a thumbprint scan taken. Currently, you’ll only be required to do this if you land at Heathrow’s Terminal 1 and try to connect to a domestic British flight there. 

This information is in addition to the photo ID and boarding pass normally required at the boarding gate. British Airways may make this standard security practice for passengers when it opens Terminal Five in March.

Here’s how it works, according to news reports: You enter a booth and a laser quickly scans your eye’s iris, as if it were a bar code on a product. As you move about the airport terminal, you can pass back into a secure area, having your eyes rescanned to prove you’re the person you say you are. The information is stored for about 24 hours and not filed away, officials say.

Sources: Travel Agent, Budget Travel, Associated Press

Judy Newell, a writer and travel industry executive, heads the custom tour company Perfect Journeys that specializes in luxury and adventure travel. Contact her with comments or suggestions at JudyNewell_03@msn.com  or go to her website www.PerfectJourneys.net.