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» HAS Newsroom
Houston Airport System
June 15, 2007
According to the Air Transport Association (ATA), this summer travel season is likely to be a record-setting whirlwind affair. An estimated 209 million passengers are expected to travel globally onboard US airlines during the summer season, which is defined as the 13 week period between June 1st and August 31st.
The ATA is the oldest and largest airline trade association, representing the nation’s leading airlines.
“With a record number of passengers expected to fly this summer, the airlines are maximizing their efforts to ensure that operations run smoothly,” says James May, president and CEO of the ATA. “Passengers can also help by planning ahead, using online check-in before they get to the airport and arriving at the airport early.”
In Houston, airport management at Bush Intercontinental (IAH) and William P. Hobby say they are ready for the busy travel season. The biggest difference between holiday and non-holiday periods, they say, is the type of travelers passing through the airports.
“The quirky thing about summer travel has to do with the type of passenger,” explains Charles Wall, IAH manager. “For many summer travelers it is a time of leisure. That means they’re not in as big of a rush. Some are not regular travelers and they are just not familiar with the process.”
Those irregular airline passengers include more children, more elderly persons and even more first-time flyers. That can sometimes lead to delays at the security checkpoints, where prohibited items, jewelry, keys and coins can cause problems at the metal detectors.
Andrea McCauley, spokeswoman for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) – the federal agency responsible for passenger screenings at airport security checkpoints – agrees with that assessment.
“Typically we see a different travel population, unaware of rules and regulations implemented recently regarding the liquids and gels policy,” she says.
McCauley recommends travelers visit the TSA’s website at www.tsa.gov before heading into any airport. There they will find a comprehensive list of travel tips and other general information, she explains.
Those planning to fly out of the country should also be aware of the new passport regulations recently implemented by the US Department of Homeland Security.
Under the new rules, citizens of the United States, Canada, Mexico and Bermuda traveling by air are now required to present a valid passport upon reentry into the United States when arriving from any part of the Western Hemisphere.
The new rule is known as the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative and is part of the program implemented by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff. For complete information about this initiative, travelers should visit www.dhs.gov.
The exciting news is that IAH is uniquely equipped to handle this initiative.
The airport was recently designated the first Model Port in the nation by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). As part of this innovative pilot program, several changes have already been implemented at the Federal Inspection Services facility (FIS) at IAH.
Those changes include new multilingual signs, multilingual videos describing the customs procedure, and additional customs representatives available in the international arrivals area to answer questions. The FIS is the largest and most modern facility of its kind in the US, capable of processing up 4,500 arriving passengers per hour when fully staffed.
The airport also offers a staff of special services representatives, who speak 17 different languages, to help provide better customer service to international travelers.
“Cooperation between the Houston Airport System and CBP has improved the level of service we are able to provide to the public,” says Terry Estell, CBP area port director. “This reduces processing times and helps us achieve our mission of protecting the country and citizens.”
CBP is also urging travelers to be cautious about what souvenirs, plants, animals or foods they try to bring back into the country. Smuggled birds brought into the US without undergoing inspection or quarantine can increase the chance of disease, while smuggled agricultural items can also introduce insect pesticides that could be a threat to livestock and food crops.
First time offenders who try and smuggle prohibited items into the country face a $300 fine for failing to declare these items at US ports of entry. For more information on the international arrivals process please check the CBP website, www.cbp.gov.
Another important item for consideration during this busy travel season is parking. Mary Case, HOU manager, says travelers should allot extra time in their itineraries for parking at the airport.
If the parking garages are full, both airports offer an on-airport parking value lot called Parking Cents, accommodating both short and long-term parking needs. Another option is the new SuperShuttle shared-ride airport transportation service, which offers front-door home transportation to and from the airport.
“One parking tip,” offers Case, “write down where you parked your car. Hundreds of people return from vacation each year only to realize they can’t remember where they parked.”
It’s best for travelers to check their flight status, terminal, departure and arrival times before heading to the airports. This information may be found online at www.fly2houston.com.
Above all else, don’t forget your ticket, and official identification. Otherwise, have a nice trip.
Copyright © 2007 - Houston Airport System
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