WHO provides an interactive travel map with details on requirements, risks and recommendations related to yellow fever, malaria and rabies. The site can be accessed directly at http://apps.who.int/tools/geoserver/www/ith/index.html.

WHO also provides pertinent information on each of its member countries. Each nation has its own web page that includes the country’s health profile, country brief, current outbreaks and crises, risk factors, and more. The outbreaks and crises section is especially helpful for travelers as it provides detailed current and archived information on emergency situations.

If the country was included in a weekly “regional situation update” then a link to that report is provided in the emergency section. These updates give a snap-shot of health and safety concerns affecting the region, list any acute crises presently faced, and summarize the “countries under surveillance.” The latter is a paragraph report on countries where dangerous or potentially dangerous activities are taking place.

To access the list of countries, go to http://www.who.int/countries/en/. To get a quick list of countries and regions currently experiencing a crisis, go to http://www.who.int/hac/crises/en/.

In addition to the travel information, humanitarian and medical mission teams will find the country background materials very beneficial. The country brief gives an overview of the country’s health and development, along with health-related opportunities and challenges. Through a link on its regional websites, you can access a detailed country health report. Risk factors faced by the country are also identified along with corresponding reports.

These background reports and related information can enable humanitarian teams to prioritize their response to the country’s needs. They also provide insight into current health strategies and how the team might connect with them.

Information like that provided on the WHO site is especially important to humanitarian and ministry team leaders, and to the organizations they represent. By staying abreast of the current health and safety situation, these leaders can better prepare their teams and take appropriate precautions to protect themselves.

When we took the bag off the airport conveyor belt we immediately noticed that it had been ripped and took it to the airline’s baggage desk. The agent offered to exchange it for a bag that he had in stock, but since ours was a spinner (the kind with four wheels) and his were not, we opted to have ours repaired. The agent put our information into the computer and gave us a print out with instructions on what to do next.

We had 30 days to bring that bag back to the baggage desk. Like any good procrastinator, we waited until day 29! At the desk they exchanged our bag for a claim ticket and said, “If we can’t repair it, we will replace it. You can expect to get your bag back in about 7-10 days.”

Sure enough, a week later the repaired suitcase was delivered via FedEx to our front door. Except for the inconvenience of having to return the bag to the airport, the whole experience was relatively painless and the repairs were made much quicker than we thought they would be. With that experience in mind, here are some tips for the next time you fly:

–Always check your luggage carefully before leaving the airport and report any damage to the airline immediately. You can file a claim later, but it may be more difficult. Lufthansa, for example, says that damage must be reported within seven days and “you must also produce evidence that the damaged occurred while the bag was in the care of the airline.”

–File a claim, even if the bag is still usable. There’s going to be normal wear, but when bags come back with ripped seems, holes, damaged wheels, etc. they should be reported.

–Remember there are limits to what the airlines will pay for your bags and their contents. Airlines will usually cover up to $3,300 per passenger for U.S. domestic flights and less than half that for international flights. Airlines do offer excess valuation insurance but it usually only kicks in if the bag is completely lost—not if it or its contents are damaged.

If you are concerned about the value of your luggage and what’s inside, you are better off to buy travel insurance that also covers delayed, damaged and lost baggage. If you purchase travel insurance through Ministry Travel, you can get luggage coverage for up $2,500 included in your policy. This is “primary insurance” and pays in addition to what the airlines may or may not pay.

Sooner or later your bags will be damaged. Just keep these tips in mind and it will make getting your luggage repaired or replaced much easier.

Reports of mishandled bags are down 11% for the first six months of 2010 compared to the same period last year, according to U.S. government reports. The reports are based on the amount of mishandled baggage reports filed by passengers. Mishandled includes delayed, lost or damaged luggage, plus baggage with items missing.

Airtran Airways had the fewest reports with 1.61 reports per 1,000 passengers for the first half of 2010. American Eagle was the worst at 7.56 reports per 1,000, although they have seen a 9% improvement over last year. According to the European Commission, carriers in Europe are nearly three times worse at handling bags than carriers in the U.S.

So how can you avoid baggage delay or loss? The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) suggests the following:

• Make sure you have your name, address and a telephone number where you can be reached at your destination city on both the outside and inside of your luggage.
• Don’t check in at the last minute. You might make the flight but there is a good chance that your bags won’t.
• Get a claim check for each bag and hang on to them until you reclaim your bags at your destination.
• Know where your bags are checked to, and whether or not you have to pick them up to clear customs short of your final destination.
• When possible, book nonstop or through flights.

Here is some additional advice:

• Remove old luggage tags to avoid confusion.
• Be at the luggage carousel when bags are off-loaded. Bags are often mistaken by passengers who don’t realize they grabbed the wrong one until they get home.
• Anytime you have a change in itinerary after your departure, such as occurs when you miss a connecting flight, be sure to ask a gate agent to locate your luggage and have it tagged for your new flight.

If your luggage is delayed or damaged, be sure to file a claim with the airline before leaving the airport. DOT recommends that passengers “Insist that the airline fill out a form and give you a copy, even if they say the bag will be in on the next flight. Get the agent’s name and an appropriate telephone number for following up (not reservations).” They also suggest you ask the airline if they will deliver the bag without charge when it is found and to ask about an advance or reimbursement for any items you must buy while your bag is missing.

Of course, the best way to avoid luggage delay or loss (as well as baggage fees) is to not check any bags. Unfortunately, that’s not practical for most of our clients. However, by following these tips you hopefully will have fewer lost bag stories to tell your frequent flyer buddies.

Travel Warnings are issued when long-term conditions make a country dangerous or unstable. Travel Warnings are also issued when the U.S. government has limited ability to assist its citizens in the particular country due to the closure of an embassy or consulate or because of a reduction of its staff.

Currently there are 30 countries on the Travel Warnings list. Warnings include the date issued and are usually open ended. There is, for example, a Travel Warning for Russia due to ongoing wildfires that are creating hazardous levels of air pollution. No one knows how long that condition will last, and the State Department has authorized the departure of its non-essential embassy personnel.

Travel Alerts are issued to advise travelers of short-term conditions that pose significant risks to U.S. citizens. Although usually issued as a country advisory, they often deal with concerns within particular regions of a nation. Travel Alerts can include everything from terrorist attacks to high-profile sports events. Currently there are four countries and one region listed on the Travel Alerts list.

Travel Alerts have an issue date and typically an expiration date. Like warnings, these also may deal with specific regions. For example, their currently is a Bolivia Travel Alert discouraging travel to three specific regions where large groups are protesting the Bolivian government. Other parts of the country are not affected by the Alert.

The State Department also issues Worldwide Cautions to inform U.S. citizens of global conditions that may pose a risk. These cautions also deal with regions of the world and will outline terrorist or other concerns that exist within that part of the world. As these Cautions tend to be very broad in nature, it is always best to refer to the Warnings and Alerts to get specific country concerns.

State Department notifications can be very general or overly cautious, so it is good to get additional information as well. Please see our July 10^th blog Keeping International Volunteer Teams Safe for a list of additional sources. State Department Travel Alerts, Warnings and Cautions can be found at www.travel.state.gov.

“What do you mean it doesn’t match,” asks the passenger. “The reservation name does not include your middle name as it appears on your passport,” the agent replies. “I’m sorry, but under federal law, we must deny boarding.” The passenger responds, “But I’m traveling with 25 other people on a mission trip.” “It doesn’t matter,” says the agent, “we can be fined $27,500 under the Secure Flight Program if we let you board the plane.”

This scenario could happen to you or your short term mission team starting this fall under U.S. government regulations known as the Secure Flight Program (SFP). Although the program started phasing-in last year, airlines begin strict enforcement on international flights starting in November. SFP requires certain passenger information be entered into their reservation at least 72 hours before departure or the airline will deny boarding. Starting September 15 the SFP information must be in the reservation before a ticket can even be issued. It is required for all travel starting November 1 regardless of when the tickets were issued.

The SFP information includes the passenger’s full name as it appears on their government issued identification. This means that international travelers must use the name exactly as it appears in their passport, even if it is different from their driver’s license or other IDs. SFP also requires the passenger’s birth date, gender, and a Redress Number if they have one. Redress Numbers are for those who are accidentally put on a government watch or no-fly list, or who are mistaken for someone on the list. For more information on redress visit http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/customer/redress/index.shtm .

What does this mean to Ministry Travel clients?

It means that you need to accurately provide all of the above information when making your reservation. Many times groups make their reservations before all of their members have received their passports. This can create problems if the passport has different information than what was given at the time of reservation. This happens a lot with married vs. maiden names—the married name is given for the reservation but their passport is in the maiden name. Other common problems are with middle names, especially if the person has multiple middle names or if they have a hyphenated last name.

Here are some suggestions for group leaders.

• Make sure that your trip applications or registration forms ask participants for their full legal name exactly as it appears or will appear on their passport.
• Require that team member’s provide a copy of their passport with their trip application or registration. If they don’t yet have a passport, give them a time frame that they must apply for one—say within two weeks after trip registration (sooner depending on when you are leaving)—and then require a copy as soon as they receive it. This not only ensures that you have accurate information to make the reservations, but also provides passport copies for your team leader to carry during the trip–which makes getting a new passport easier if one is lost or stolen while traveling.
• Refer to the passport copies when you provide passenger information to your Ministry Travel agent. Make sure that it is clear to the agent what the first, middle and last names are.
• Once you receive reservation confirmation from your Ministry Travel agent, immediately double check the spelling of each person’s name in the reservation against the passport copies. If there are any discrepancies, notify Ministry Travel right away.

By following these suggestions you will ensure that everyone on your team meets the Secure Flight requirements and that no one will be denied boarding when it’s time for your ministry trip. For more information, visit www.tsa.gov/secureflight.

Like the passenger with the unusual movement on his leg.

After twice setting off the walk-through metal detector the man was taken aside for additional screening. That’s when TSA security officer Luis Feliciano noticed the man’s leg. When asked about it, the passenger nervously admitted that he was trying to smuggle a baby alligator onboard his flight. He had placed the alligator inside a sock and taped it to his thigh. Good news for the alligator—he was rescued. Bad news for the passenger—he got a fine.

“The knife was supposed to be in my other Barbie,” is what a man told screeners in Wisconsin as he tried to get through airport security. The man had a 4.5 inch knife hidden inside a Barbie doll box in his carry-on bag. He told officials he wanted to take the knife on his trip and thought it was safest to store it in the Barbie box—but he said he thought it was in his checked bag. Turned out he did have two more Barbie boxes in his checked luggage.

Sometimes you see things at security that don’t make sense, like why they make people get out of wheelchairs or do additional screening on people with canes. There’s good reason, according to the TSA. During a one-week period, screeners found a box cutter hidden under a wheelchair, a knife with a 3.5 inch blade concealed in a baby carrier, and a 5 inch blade hidden in the cane of a passenger. “Families with small children, individuals with disabilities, and the elderly don’t appear to be security threats, but to keep all passengers safe, security officers can’t afford to take any chances,” the TSA said in a statement.

In addition to carry-on luggage, the TSA also routinely inspects passengers’ checked baggage. During one inspection in Atlanta, security officers discovered 30 dead snakes and a dead bird in a passenger’s bag. “I have found snakes before but what surprised me about this was how many there were,” said Christopher Hendericks, the TSA officer who made the discovery.

Knowing that alligators, snakes and knife-wielding Barbies are trying to make their way onto flights suddenly makes the inconvenience of airport security at lot less inconvenient.

Now gate agents basically come in two types. There are those who want to solve your problems and get you to your destination as quickly and smoothly as possible, and then there are those who just want to get you away from their desk. Fortunately, most fall into the first category but there are those want to kick the can down the road for someone else to deal with. Regardless of which type of agent you get, here are some tips to help your interaction and bring resolution to your problem.

Be polite but firm

Always be calm and polite when dealing with gate agents. Yelling at the agent because your plane was late won’t solve anything. Remember, they are people too and are dealing with the stress of trying to re-accommodate a lot of passengers. If you have an issue, state it clearly and ask for the agent’s help. If the agent tries to shuffle you along without resolving your problem, then politely but firmly insist that she help you.

Review all of your options

Often the agent will only give you one solution to your problem and expect you to take it. Don’t hesitate to ask if there are other options, including putting you on a different airline so that you land closer to your original arrival time.

Get a confirmed reservation

If you are dealing with a missed flight, never leave the counter without a confirmed reservation to get you to your final destination. Often the agent will say, “You can fly standby for this other flight,” and send you away. Your response should be, “Okay, I’ll try to fly standby, but I still need a confirmed reservation in case that flight is full.”

Ask for accommodations

If you are delayed significantly, be sure to ask for meal vouchers. Also, if you have to spend the night, ask for the airline to provide a hotel and meals. Many times if you don’t ask for it the agent won’t offer it.

Locate your bags

Be sure to discuss your bags with the agent before leaving the counter. If the agent rebooks you, ask that your bags be pulled and retagged to be on the same flight with you. Once you get to your new gate, check with the agent there to be sure this was done. By doing this you reduce the chance of a baggage delay.

Ask for a supervisor

If you feel that you are not getting anywhere with the agent, ask to speak to a supervisor. Again, remain calm and polite but firmly state your situation and ask for resolution.

Most flights run smoothly, but if you do run into problems remember these six tips. Hopefully they will help you resolve your problem quicker and with less stress.

Starving, the college student and missionary host made their way to a nearby café. The food was pre-cooked and behind glass. “Order anything you want,” said the missionary.

The student looked and looked—at food he had never seen before. “Order whatever I want,” he thought to himself, “I think some of this stuff is still moving. What have I gotten myself into?”

At that moment, the college junior experienced culture shock. He was in a very strange place, far from his Southern California home, about to eat unusual food and surrounded by people talking in a language he couldn’t understand. For what seemed like an eternity, but only lasting a few seconds, he was paralyzed. He didn’t know how to function. He didn’t know what to do or even how to move. This was his first trip outside the U.S. and it was clear that he “wasn’t in Kansas” anymore.

The feeling of helplessness, however, soon subsided as the missionary explained the food options and helped him get settled.

It is often said that the world is shrinking. While travel, technology and satellite TV have brought the world closer, we must never forget that the world is still vast collection of cultures. The college student learned that first-hand!

Culture varies region to region, country to country, and even within a nation. Those who seek to deliver aid, conduct training, or spread the gospel abroad need to familiarize themselves with the culture where they will serve, even if they are only there a few days. While information won’t necessarily help you avoid culture shock, it will help you show respect and enable you to better connect with the local people.

Please see our last two blogs for thoughts on dealing with different cultures. We’ll have some additional tips in our next blog. By the way, the story with the college student happened more than 20 years ago. He has since visited more than two dozen countries. Guess he got over the culture shock!

Does that paragraph sound strange to you? It does unless you know British English. It is also a reminder that there are cultural differences among English-speaking countries. In our last blog, we looked at 10 cultural questions to ask before your next international trip. Today, we explore language differences among English-speaking countries.

It is easy to forget that you are in a different culture when visiting a country that speaks English—that is until you have to drive somewhere! It is also easy to forget that although most of our words are the same, there are variations in English from country to country. Not being aware of these differences can cause cultural embarrassment. One website that gives a list of common words that are different in British and American English is http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwesl/egw/jones/words.htm.

It is important, however, to not assume that British-English is exactly the same in Australia, South Africa or other former British colonies. You will want to do your homework when traveling to these countries, especially if you are doing any kind of public speaking. Ask someone familiar with the culture to advise you on common American words that you should avoid. It is also a reminder that it is best to avoid slang or jargon when speaking English cross-culturally as this too can cause confusion.

By the way, in case you didn’t figure it out, here is the American translation to the first paragraph:

The power outage continued, but Susan forgot to grab a flashlight as she hurried out the apartment and headed for the elevator. It was dark. As she exited the elevator door, she banged her elbow, causing it to bleed. “I’ll have to go to the pharmacist and get a band-aid for it,” she thought as she dashed outside, hurried past the truck, and continued eating her cookie.

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.