The American short-term missionary was very excited to be in Brazil. As he met new people, he often made a gesture with his hand that to him meant “that’s great” or “A-OK.” After a few of these gestures his interpreter took him aside and explained that his gesture was actually considered quite derogatory in Brazil. The American was shocked—and never made that mistake again!

This story reminds us of the importance of international travelers doing their best to understand local cultures. While many cultural nuances take months or even years to learn, there are some basic things that travelers should familiarize themselves with before they reach their destination. Here is a list of 10 cultural questions.

1. Greetings—what is the proper way to greet someone? How and when should you do it? Is there a difference between greeting someone young and someone old?
2. Personal space—what is considered the proper distance that you should stand away from someone when speaking to them? Some cultures it is very close, while others expect a couple arms length.
3. Physical contact—is it appropriate to shake hands? What about giving a friend a hug in public? What about married couples who show affection in public? Is this frowned upon?
4. Gestures—what hand or body gestures are considered rude?
5. Eye-contact—is it appropriate to make eye contact with a stranger? What about eye-contact with someone of the opposite sex? What about eye-contact in conversations or group settings?
6. Dress—what is the cultural norm for dress? Are there different standards for men and women? Do women wear pants? What about shorts?
7. Respect—are there certain ways that elders or leaders are shown respect?
8. Gender attitudes—what are the attitudes about women? How do you show respect to both genders?
9. Loudness—is it expected to speak softly to others and in public or is being boisterous acceptable?
10. Time—what is their view of punctuality? Are they offended if you arrive early? What about arriving late? Are things expected to start on time, or just “whenever.”

This certainly isn’t an exhaustive list, but it should be enough to get you started! Hopefully by finding out the answers to a few cultural questions before you travel, you will save yourself from some embarrassing moments abroad.

In our last blog, we examined a situation where a team departed Dallas on American Airlines connecting in Miami on Avianca Airlines to their final destination of Colombia, South America. The flight departing Dallas was delayed because of mechanical problems causing them to miss their connecting flight. One of the team members had a through ticket, and American made sure she got to her final destination. The other team members had separate tickets, and they were delayed in Miami. We examined the difference between through and separate tickets.

Now before you say, “I’ll never buy separate tickets” there are a couple things to keep in mind. Some Airlines have agreements with other airlines to allow through tickets and some do not. So sometimes it is not possible to get a through ticket. Sometimes the price of a through ticket is prohibitive. In the case of the team headed to Colombia, buying through tickets would have cost the team a couple thousand dollars more.

So what should you do? Here are some tips.

1) Buy a through ticket whenever possible. This not only better ensures that you will make it to your destination, but also that your bags will be transferred.

2) If you do need to buy separate tickets (and this is quite common) then give yourself as much time as possible between any connecting flights.

3) When checking your bags on separate tickets, make sure that the gate agent tags them to your final destination. If they don’t have a transfer agreement with the other airline, then you will need to reclaim your bag from the first airline and check it in with the connecting carrier.

4) If you do miss a flight and you are on a separate ticket, work with the connecting airline to get you to your final destination. It is unlikely that the original airline will be able or willing to help you, so stay focused on the airline whose flight you actually missed. You have a ticket for one of their flights so they usually will do their best to accommodate you.

If you miss your flight and you are on a through ticket, go ahead and try the connecting airline. Don’t be surprised, however, if they expect the airline that made you late to work out your arrangements. Airlines try to shift responsibility to another carrier whenever possible.

Technically, whichever airline’s stock your ticket is issued on is ultimately responsible for you. Through tickets are validated or issued on the ticket stock of a single airline, even if multiple carriers are involved with your travel. Sometimes you can tell which airline validated your ticket by looking at your e-ticket number. The airline’s two-digit code will be near the beginning of the number. You can also ask your travel agent.

Yes, it is confusing and it can be frustrating to deal with airlines. At Ministry Travel we do our best to help you cut through the confusion and find solutions. We give you options and then help you make informed decision about what is best for your travel needs. Whether it’s through tickets verses separate tickets, or a host of other airline issues, we are here to help you have the best trip possible at the best price!

The 16 short-term missionaries leaving Dallas were excited as they loaded onto an American Airlines flight to Miami. There they would connect to an Avianca Airlines flight to Colombia, South America where they planned to serve the next week. That excitement, however, soon turned to concern when a mechanical problem delayed their Dallas departure by 90 minutes.

Would they still make their connection?

Once the plane pulled into the Miami airport, the team made a mad dash from one end of the terminal to the Avianca gate at the opposite end—but they were too late. Their flight to Barranquilla, their Colombian destination, was gone and there were no more flights that day.

What now?

One of the team members had what is called a through ticket, and American Airlines put her on another flight that got her to Barranquilla. The other 15 team members, however, had what are called separate tickets. American wouldn’t do anything for them. Avianca couldn’t either at the time. The team would spend the night in Miami, with 12 getting out the next day on different flights, and the remaining three two days later.

It was unfortunate, but this team learned the hard way the difference between through tickets and separate tickets. A through ticket simply means that you are booked in one reservation on one ticket all the way through to your final destination, even if it means connecting to different airlines. On a through ticket, it means that there is one airline that has primary responsibility to get you where you are going.

Separate tickets mean you have a different reservation, and a different ticket, for two or more airlines to get you to your final destination. On a separate ticket, it is only the airline’s responsibility to get you to where you are flying on their airline, not necessarily to make your connection.

The team that was stuck in Miami had to pay for their own hotel and food during their delay. Had they been delayed on a through ticket, the carrier that made them late probably would have covered their hotel and meals. That carrier also would have worked with the connecting airline to find seats, or they would have put the team on a third airline to get them to their destination.

Sometimes separate tickets are unavoidable or even desirable. We’ll discuss that in our next blog as well as give tips to keep in mind when traveling on separate tickets.

You know the dangers of thieves in crowded international markets and on public transit, but do you ever think about crooks on airplanes? Most travelers don’t, but that probably will change with the news this week of the arrest of an Air France flight attendant.

According to various news sources, French police arrested the woman on suspicions that she stole tens of thousands of dollars in cash and valuables over the past year. According to the New York Times, she reportedly confessed to “stealing from sleeping travelers” during international flights. The Guardian, a British newspaper, says that on one flight from Tokyo to Paris five passengers had more than $5,000 of foreign currency stolen. London’s Mirror says the flight attendant admitted to 26 thefts.

While many may consider these isolated incidents related to this particular flight attendant, the New York Times also reports that there were 142 Air France flights on which passengers reported thefts just this year. Certainly mile-high thievery is not limited to the French carrier—it is an issue for most airlines.

What can you do to protect yourself? Here are some tips.

First, if you do have valuables in your carry-on bag, don’t put the bag in the overhead bin. Keep it at your feet or put the valuables in a smaller bag that you can keep near you. If you have larger items like laptops, DVD players, etc. that won’t fit comfortably at your feet, put them in a carry-on that can be locked.

Be sure to keep any cash, credit cards, or passports on your person, such as with a neck or waist “safe.” Never leave it in a carry-on. Also, don’t put valuables like watches or rings in the seatback. Sometimes people do this so that they will be more comfortable while they sleep but never consider that others might see where they stashed their valuables.

Finally, and most importantly, just be aware that thefts on planes occur and use common sense. Don’t have a false sense of security because your valuables are “just overhead” in the bin. As we saw with the Air France attendant, “just overhead” is just far enough away to disappear.