New rules for entry to the US could cause havoc, writes Jane E. Fraser.
Airlines fear there will be ugly scenes at airports in the new year if travellers heading to the US do not get the message about new entry requirements. While holidaymakers can currently fly to the US and get a visa waiver allowing them to stay for up to 90 days, from January 12 passengers will have to apply in advance for "electronic travel authorisation". Those who fail to get pre-authorisation via a US Government website will not be allowed to board their flight (or cruise ship) and staff will be powerless to intervene.
An airline spokesman, who asks not to be named, says there has been little publicity about the changes and he fears airline staff will cop the brunt of passengers' anger. Last year, 670,000 Australians travelled to the US.
"Unless the message gets out really quickly, there's a growing concern that people will turn up for their holiday ... and won't be able to get on the plane," he says. "The airline staff won't be able to fix it."
General manager of United Airlines in Australia Alison Espley says the company is still in the process of working with US authorities on how the new system will work.
She says airlines need to know whether or not each passenger has authorisation to travel and the changes "will need to be communicated to the community at large".
The biggest issue could be travellers who booked their flights before the changes were introduced. With travellers able to book through a variety of channels, including travel agents, internet booking engines and wholesalers, it is likely some will not be notified of the changes.
A search of the websites of six leading airlines offering flights to the US found three had out-of-date information about entry requirements, while one appeared to have none at all.
Hawaiian Airlines spokeswoman Sherilyn Robinson says it is the responsibility of passengers to get pre-authorisation and airlines will not be liable for any costs or inconvenience if they fail to do so. "We want to make travellers well aware of the change before they arrive at the airport to board their flight," she says.
Travellers who fail to get pre-authorisation will also be knocked back on insurance claims, with most policies stating the insurer will not pay if a traveller fails to get necessary visas and travel documents.
The long-running Visa Waiver Program (VWP) allows Australians to travel to the US for up to 90 days without having to apply for a visa.
The new pre-authorisation requires the same information: name, contact details, passport information, address within the US and answers to questions about criminal history, drug-taking, communicable diseases and involvement in terrorism or espionage.
The regulations apply to all passengers, including children and transit passengers. Those who do not have access to the internet can ask a travel agent or relative to make the application on their behalf.
Excluded from the VWP (and therefore needing to apply for a visa) are people with criminal records, those who have previously been refused entry and anyone intending to work or study in the US.
Chief executive of the Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA), Mike Hatton, says the introduction of pre-authorisation will remove the problem of travellers being turned away on arrival in the US when they are not eligible for the VWP.
Hatton says he is confident all AFTA member travel agents are aware of the new requirements and says all travellers need to remember they are responsible for securing necessary documentation and authorisation.
The US Embassy in Australia says most travellers will get "almost immediate" authorisation after completing the online application but it should be done at least 72 hours prior to departure. There is no fee and the authorisation is valid for two years and multiple visits.
The introduction of pre-authorisation for the US is the latest in a series of upgrades to aviation security and entry requirements. Gaining entry to the US used to be primarily a matter of assuring the authorities you were not planning to work or stay illegally but since the terrorist attacks of September 11 seven years ago the stakes have changed.
The US introduced compulsory fingerprinting and digital photography of passengers in 2004 and since 2005 has required travellers to have machine-readable passports in order to enter without a visa.
In one of the more controversial developments, US authorities now have the authority to search the content of laptops and other electronic devices including memory sticks, iPods and digital camera cards.
While authorities say these searches apply to only 1 per cent of the 1 million passengers arriving in the US each day, they acknowledge a flood of complaints.
Australian authorities have also tightened security since September 11, 2001, introducing tougher screening for passengers arriving in Australia. Gone are the days when a traveller could step off a plane, sail through customs, walk straight through the "nothing to declare" channel and be in the taxi queue within 15 minutes of stepping off the plane.
Customs now screens all passenger luggage on arrival in Australia, causing long queues at times. It has also introduced extra screening for flights coming in from selected destinations, with passengers undergoing an extra check at their point of departure, just prior to boarding.
TRIP NOTES
* To apply for electronic travel authorisation for the US, go to https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov.
* More information contact the US Embassy, Canberra, on (02) 6214 5600, see www.canberra.usembassy.gov/consular/visas.
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