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Corporate
Travel Services is the Business Travel Division of Dawson
& Sanderson Ltd, one of the leading independent
travel agencies in the UK.
We are based in Whitley Bay, Tyne &
Wear and offer a truly comprehensive Business and Marine
Travel Management package to a wide spectrum of clients.
Our philosophy is simply to provide our
clients with the highest quality Travel Management Service
whilst at the same time maximising their travel budgets.
Whatever your travel
requirements we will provide a solution to suit your
needs. |
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News
| 20/02/2013 - East Coast Overhead Line Problem |
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| Overhead wire problems are causing disruption at St Neots. |
| 20/02/2013 - East Coast Overhead Line Problem |
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Overhead wire problems are causing disruption at St Neots.
Because of this, the following changes will apply throughout Wednesday 20 February. Disruption to services is also expected tomorrow - please check back nearer the time for further information about this.
First Capital Connect
Buses are replacing trains between Biggleswade and Peterborough
Buses are also running between St Neots / Sandy and Bedford to connect with Thameslink services to central London
Journey times will be extended by up to 60 minutes
Car parking restrictions have been lifted
Morning ticket restrictions have been lifted.
East Coast
Until approximately 09:30
Buses are replacing trains between Peterborough and London Kings Cross.
After 09:30
A limited service will run between Peterborough and London Kings Cross, details are available in the National Rail Enquiries real time Journey Planner. <http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/>
East Coast ticket holders advised to travel on their booked services. Passengers with tickets for cancelled services are advised to travel on the service immediately before or after their booked service.
Grand Central and First Hull Trains
Grand Central and First Hull Trains services are currently unable to run between Peterborough and London Kings Cross.
Ticket acceptance
East Coast
Passengers may use CrossCountry, East Midlands Trains, First Capital Connect, First Hull Trains, First TransPennine Express and Virgin Trains services on reasonable routes.
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| 25/01/2013 - Country Alert - Libya: |
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| Country Awareness Alert - Libya: Germany, Netherlands and U.K. warn of 'imminent threat against Westerners' |
| 25/01/2013 - Country Alert - Libya: |
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Country Awareness Alert - Libya: Germany, Netherlands and U.K. warn of 'imminent threat against Westerners'
Britain, Germany and the Netherlands governments urged their citizens Thursday to immediately leave the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi in response to what was described as an imminent threat against Westerners.
The warnings come a day after U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton testified to Congress about the September attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi that killed four Americans, including the ambassador to Libya. They also come as French troops battle al-Qaida linked militants in Mali, and follow the deaths of dozens of foreigners taken hostage by Islamist extremists in Algeria - though it remained unclear if those two events were linked to the European nations' concerns about Libya.
The foreign ministries of the three countries issued statements variously describing the threat as specific and imminent but none gave details. Germany and Britain urged their nationals still in Benghazi to leave "immediately" while Dutch Foreign Ministry spokesman Thijs van Son said that "staying in this area is not to be advised."
It was not immediately clear how many people could be affected; Britain's Foreign Office said likely "dozens" of its citizens were in the city, while van Son said there are four Dutch citizens registered as being in Benghazi and possibly two more. Several countries have for months advised against all travel to the city, especially after the U.S. mission was attacked, and local residents said that many foreigners had already left in recent weeks.
Benghazi, a city of 1 million people, is a business hub where many major firms employ Westerners. It also was where the Libyan uprising against long-time dictator Moammar Gadhafi began in 2011. Gadhafi was eventually toppled and killed after NATO backed the rebel movement, and the Arab country has since struggled with security. Al-Qaida-linked militants operate in the country alongside other Islamist groups.
Saleh Gawdat, a Benghazi lawmaker, said French doctors who were working in Benghazi hospitals have left the city and that the French cultural centre has closed out of concerns about potential retaliation over the French-led military intervention in nearby Mali, which began two weeks ago.
Violence in Benghazi has targeted both foreigners as well as Libyan officials in recent months - with assassinations, bombings and other attacks.
In addition to the Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. mission, an Italian diplomat's car was fired on by militants in Benghazi. The consul, Guido De Sanctis, wasn't injured in the attack earlier this month, but the incident prompted Italy to order the temporary suspension of its consular activities in the city and send its foreign staff home.
Islamist extremists are often blamed for targeting security officials who worked under Gadhafi, as a kind of revenge for torturing or imprisoning them in the past. Many city residents also blame Gadhafi loyalists who they say are trying to undermine Libya's new leaders by sowing violence.
Ibrahim Sahd, a Benghazi-based lawmaker and politician, said that the new government is putting together a plan to beef up security in the city and this "might have worried the Westerners of a backlash."
Noman Benotman, a former Libyan jihadist with links to al-Qaida who is now an analyst at London's Quilliam Foundation, said other groups inspired by the terror network have been gaining a following since Gadhafi's fall. There have been nearly a dozen attacks against Western targets in Libya recently, he said.
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| 30/10/2012 - Hurricane Sandy Update |
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| Nearly 12,000 flights have been grounded as Hurricane Sandy thwarted travel up and down the US East Coast and airlines warned it could be days before normal schedules resume. |
| 30/10/2012 - Hurricane Sandy Update |
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Nearly 12,000 flights have been grounded as Hurricane Sandy thwarted travel up and down the US East Coast and airlines warned it could be days before normal schedules resume.
Three smaller coastal airports shut down completely Monday and many others -- including as far inland as Philadelphia -- may as well have, as nearly every flight was cancelled.
Some 1,302 flights were cancelled on Sunday as airlines prepared for the storm, according to the online aviation tracking service flightaware.com. Another 7,016 were cancelled Monday, including 1,220 in Philadelphia and around 1,000 at each of New York's three airports. A further 3,386 flights have already been cancelled for Tuesday and 147 on Wednesday.
"Most airlines have not begun publishing cancellations for tomorrow yet, but forecasters are expecting winds to be 45 to 60 knots Tuesday from (Washington) DC to New York, which alone will contribute to a large number of cancellations," Daniel Baker, chief executive of flightaware.com, said in a morning update.
Safety fears over the monster storm also ca used disruption as far afield as Hong Kong and France.
The European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation, Eurocontrol, said 300 of the usual 500-odd flights between Europe and the US had been cancelled, with more expected later Monday.
In Asia, Hong Kong's flagship carrier Cathay Pacific announced it was scrapping a total of eight direct flights between the southern Chinese city and New York on Monday and Tuesday.
Flights from India and Japan were also affected.
Subway services, buses and commuter trains were also shut down in New York, Philadelphia and Washington.
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| 30/10/2012 - Useful links for Hurricane Sandy situation |
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| Here are some useful pages to check on flight status re: Hurricane Sandy |
| 30/10/2012 - Useful links for Hurricane Sandy situation |
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Here are some useful pages to check on flight status re: Hurricane Sandy
KLM - <http://www.klm.com/travel/gb_en/prepare_for_travel/up_to_date/arrivals_departures/index.htm>
Air France - <http://www.airfrance.co.uk/GB/en/local/resainfovol/infovols/actualiteDesVols.do>
Delta Airlines - <http://www.delta.com/traveling_checkin/flight_status_updates/index.jsp>
BA - <http://www.britishairways.com/rtad/travel/public/en_gb>
United Airlines - <http://www.united.com/web/en-US/apps/travel/flightStatus/default.aspx>
US Airways - <http://flights.usairways.com/Default.aspx>
Virgin Atlantic - <http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/gb/en/travel-information/flight-status.html>
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| 29/10/2012 - Hurricane Sandy Update |
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| Hurricane Sandy has grounded thousands of flights on the Eastern Seaboard on Monday. The massive storm threatens to bring a near halt to air travel for at least two days in a key region for both domestic and international flights, with passengers stranded from Hong Kong to Europe. |
| 29/10/2012 - Hurricane Sandy Update |
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Hurricane Sandy has grounded thousands of flights on the Eastern Seaboard on Monday. The massive storm threatens to bring a near halt to air travel for at least two days in a key region for both domestic and international flights, with passengers stranded from Hong Kong to Europe.
British Airways and other airlines have cancelled all flights to and from the US East Coast today this includes; New York, Baltimore, Washington, Boston and Philadelphia. Carriers such as American Airlines, JetBlue and Delta planned to cancel all flights into and out of three area airports in New York, the nation's busiest airspace. According to the flight-tracking service FlightAware, nearly 7,500 flights had been cancelled for Sunday and Monday. Both Philadelphia International Airport and Newark International Airport, a hub for United Airlines, each had more than 1,200 cancellations for the two days.
Delays rippled across the U.S., affecting travellers in cities such as San Francisco to Chicago, and disruptions spread to Europe and Asia, where airlines cancelled or delayed flight s to New York and Washington from cities that are major travel hubs including Berlin, Paris, Tokyo and Hong Kong.
Sandy, a Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph) as of early Monday, was blamed for 65 deaths in the Caribbean before it began churning up the Eastern Seaboard. Forecasters say the hurricane is about 425 miles (685 kilometers) southeast of New York City and the centre of the storm is expected to be near the mid-Atlantic coast on Monday night, colliding with a wintry storm moving in from the west and cold air streaming down from the Arctic. Experts say the rare hybrid storm that results will cause havoc over 800 miles from the East Coast to the Great Lakes.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which runs five airports in the area, said it expects all carriers to cease operations Sunday night. It advised passengers to check with their carriers before heading to the airport. Passengers on Sunday were reporting multi-hour wait times at airline call centres.
Disruptions on the East Coast of the U.S. also impact international carriers. Air France has cancelled four Monday flights into JFK and two departures. Lufthansa cancelled three flights to the Northeast and one flight out of Newark. A total of eight flights out of Tokyo's Narita International Airport to New York, Newark and Washington were cancelled Monday.
Hong Kong's Cathay cancelled its two daily flights to New York for Monday and Tuesday and Air India said its daily flights to Newark and JFK had halted since Sunday. South Korean flag carrier Korean Air delayed a flight scheduled to leave Incheon International Airport for JFK on Monday by 22 hours. Asiana Airlines delayed its JFK flight from Seoul by 26 hours.
Passengers should contact their airline to confirm flight status.
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| 26/10/2012 - Giant 'hybrid storm' predicted to hit USA |
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| The pre-Halloween hybrid weather monster is looking more ominous by the hour for the East Coast, and utilities and local governments are getting ready. |
| 26/10/2012 - Giant 'hybrid storm' predicted to hit USA |
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The pre-Halloween hybrid weather monster is looking more ominous by the hour for the East Coast, and utilities and local governments are getting ready.
Meteorologists expect a natural horror show of high wind, heavy rain, extreme tides and maybe snow to the west beginning early Sunday, peaking with the arrival of Hurricane Sandy on Tuesday and lingering past Halloween on Wednesday.
With a rare mix of three big merging weather systems over a densely populated region, experts predict at least $1 billion in damage. The stage is set as Hurricane Sandy, having blown through Haiti and Cuba, continues to barrel north. A wintry storm is chugging across the country from the west. And frigid air is streaming south from Canada. And if they meet Tuesday morning around New York or New Jersey, as forecasters predict, they could create a big, wet mess that settles over the nation's most heavily populated corridor and reaches as far west as Ohio.
Utilities are lining up out-of-state work crews and cancelling employees' days off to deal with expected power outages. From county disaster chiefs to the federal government, emergency officials are warning the public to be prepared. And President Barack Obama was briefed aboard Air Force One.
Government forecasters said there is a 90 percent chance - up from 60 percent two days earlier - that the East will get pounded. Coastal areas from Florida to Maine will feel some effects, but the storm is expected to vent the worst of its fury on New Jersey and the New York City area, which could see around 5 inches of rain and gale-force winds close to 40 mph. Eastern Ohio, southwestern Pennsylvania and western Virginia could get snow.
And the storm will take its time leaving. The weather may not start clearing in the mid-Atlantic until the day after Halloween and Nov. 2 in the upper Northeast. As it made its way across the Caribbean, Sandy was blamed for at least 20 deaths. The 18th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season hit the Bahamas after cutting across Cuba, where it tore roofs off homes and damaged fragile coffee and tomato crops.
Passengers planning to fly into or out of the affected airports should contact their airline well in advance of departure to confirm flight status.
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| 14/02/2012 - 112 - European Emergency services telephone number |
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| New figures released today by the Foreign Office to mark European 112 Day reveal that most people do not know the number to call in the event of an emergency. |
| 14/02/2012 - 112 - European Emergency services telephone number |
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New figures released today by the Foreign Office to mark European 112 Day reveal that most people do not know the number to call in the event of an emergency.
A survey of over 2,000 people across the UK found that only 14% know that dialling 112 will reach the emergency services and only 3% recognised it was the EU emergency number.
The European Commission created the European emergency number – 112 – to make it easier for people travelling within the European Union to access emergency services. The number works in all EU Member States and connects the caller to the local emergency services hotline.
Previous research carried out by the European Commission shows that the UK is one of three countries in Europe where awareness of the 112 emergency number is lowest*. When asked to state what the number 112 is for, over half of people surveyed by the FCO (51%) admitted they did not know, with 12% believing it connected them to directory enquiries. A range of other interesting definitions were offered with some believing it could be ‘a brand of perfume or aftershave’, ‘the number of a bus’ or as one person stated, ‘a pair of Levi jeans’.
Lynda St Cooke from the FCO’s Know Before You Go campaign said:
“Knowing that you can phone 112 can save you time in critical situations. It is an essential number which we would encourage everyone to carry with them when on holiday in Europe, just as they would carry contact details for their hotel or car rental company. With luck you will never have to use it, but being prepared means you don’t have to worry about the local number to call if you or your family find yourselves in an emergency situation.”
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| 26/10/2011 - Kenya: British Government issues travel warning ov |
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| The British government has issued a travel warning on Tuesday advising that terrorist attacks in Kenya are likely, adding its nationals are advised to avoid travelling near the border with Somalia. |
| 26/10/2011 - Kenya: British Government issues travel warning ov |
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The British government has issued a travel warning on Tuesday advising that terrorist attacks in Kenya are likely, adding its nationals are advised to avoid travelling near the border with Somalia.
The warning from the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office read; "In late October we were aware of credible information suggesting the threat of a terrorist attack in Kenya. Kenyan institutions could be targeted as could places where foreigners gather."
The decision was said to have been taken to issue the latest travel advice following a weekend warning of an "imminent attack" from the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi.
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| 03/10/2011 - Kenya: FCO changes travel warning for UK citizens |
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| The FCO has issued the following statement with regards to travel in Kenya: |
| 03/10/2011 - Kenya: FCO changes travel warning for UK citizens |
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The FCO has issued the following statement with regards to travel in Kenya:
We advise against all but essential travel to coastal areas within 150km of the Somali border, following two attacks by armed gangs in small boats against beach resorts in the Lamu area on 11th September and 1st October 2011. This advice will be kept under review. Both attacks were on beach-front properties, with two Westerners kidnapped and one murdered. Beach-front accommodation in that area and boats off the coast are vulnerable
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| 09/08/2011 - Foreign Office trials text messaging service in a |
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| Vodafone UK customers who take their mobile phones overseas may now find their phone is more than just a handy way to stay in touch with friends and family. The Foreign Office has launched a trial service with the network provider to deliver emergency text messages to their subscribers as well as to customers of any mobile provider whose service runs on Vodafone’s network. The text will be sent out to customers who are in a country where there has been a major crisis – such as a natural disaster or civil unrest. |
| 09/08/2011 - Foreign Office trials text messaging service in a |
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Vodafone UK customers who take their mobile phones overseas may now find their phone is more than just a handy way to stay in touch with friends and family. The Foreign Office has launched a trial service with the network provider to deliver emergency text messages to their subscribers as well as to customers of any mobile provider whose service runs on Vodafone’s network. The text will be sent out to customers who are in a country where there has been a major crisis – such as a natural disaster or civil unrest.
The service is free to customers of the mobile providers taking part in the trial and will provide essential advice in the event of a crisis. The Foreign Office will pilot this service for a 12 month period.
Foreign Office Minister Jeremy Browne said:
“The recent consular crises in Libya and Japan have demonstrated the need to deliver live travel safety messages to as many people as quickly as possible. This new service is part of our vision to deliver better consular services more cost-effectively and we’re delighted to be working with Vodafone UK and a number of partners on the pilot. We hope in the future we will be able to roll out this service with other mobile network operators and mobile providers.”
“The pilot is part of the Foreign Office’s commitment to improve consular services. We will soon have the ability to send text messages to all affected British Nationals registered on our crisis database. As well as this we’re also exploring delivering important information through a range of mobile and online tools, including Smartphone apps, a travel advice site for mobile phones and making effective use of social media and digital tools.”
The text messaging pilot will not replace any existing services and information provided in the texts will continue to be provided on the Foreign Office website, and the FCO Travel Facebook <http://www.facebook.com/fcotravel> and Twitter <http://twitter.com/fcotravel> channels.
Please click on the link to view the article: here <http://tracking.fco.gov.uk/t/13484044/20204198/5443001/0/>
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| 04/08/2011 - Dawson & Sanderson helps customers affected by ope |
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| Dawson and Sanderson has promised to find alternative holidays for the 2,400 customers affected by the administration of the tour operator, which also traded as Aegean Flights. |
| 04/08/2011 - Dawson & Sanderson helps customers affected by ope |
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Dawson and Sanderson has promised to find alternative holidays for the 2,400 customers affected by the administration of the tour operator, which also traded as Aegean Flights.
The firm plans to use £750,000 of its own funds to pay for new holidays for people who had already planned their summer getaway.
Chris Pattison, managing director of Dawson & Sanderson, said: “Holidays4U have always provided good quality value for money holidays to Turkey and the Aegean, so it is sad for all concerned that they have failed.
“But as when holiday companies have collapsed in the past, we have always done our utmost to ensure all of our customers are quickly found an alternative holiday.”
It has been estimated that 12,000 holidaymakers already overseas will be affected, as well as a further 50,000 people with bookings. Many of these will receive refunds from the Civil Aviation Authority protection scheme.
People who have bought holidays from Dawson & Sanderson will be provided with an alternative vacation, instead of the typical procedure, which would require them to wait up to 6 months for a refund. The Air Travel Organiser’s Licensing Scheme will eventually reimburse Dawson & Sanderson.
Mr Pattison added: “When a tour operator collapses it’s extremely stressful not only for the customers but for our staff because they know they have to work very hard to find alternatives.
“ATOL protects most customers but they have to wait for their refunds. But by booking with Dawson & Sanderson, customers are guaranteed a new holiday.”
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| 29/07/2011 - ePassport gates |
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| ePassport gates have just been installed at Heathrow and Gatwick. This means that automated border controls are now in place at 15 transport terminals across the UK, including most major airports. |
| 29/07/2011 - ePassport gates |
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ePassport gates have just been installed at Heathrow and Gatwick. This means that automated border controls are now in place at 15 transport terminals across the UK, including most major airports.
Automated border controls
ePassport gates work by using facial recognition technology to compare your face to the photograph recorded on the 'chip' in your passport.
Traveller details are also checked against the full range of UK Border Agency systems - just as if they were seen by an officer.
Once the checks are made, the gates open automatically for the traveller to walk through.
With their recent installation at Heathrow and Gatwick, ePassport gates can now be found at most major UK airports.
These include; Birmingham Terminals 1&2, Bristol, Cardiff, East Midlands, Gatwick North & South, Luton, Manchester Terminals 1&2, Heathrow T1, T3, T4, and T5 and Stansted.
So far over 4.5 million people have used the gates since the first gates went live at Manchester Airport in 2008.
Who can use the ePassport gates?
You don't have to register to use the new ePassport gates. You must however be a UK, European Union or European Economic Area citizen and have a 'chipped' biometric passport.
You must also be aged 18 or over, unless otherwise stated on airport signs.
For a full description of the ePassport system please visit the Home Office website (<http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/travellingtotheuk/Enteringtheuk/e-passport-gates/>).
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| 24/05/2011 - Secure Flight Passenger Data (SFPD) |
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| Secure Flight Passenger Data (SFPD) For Travel to / from USA |
| 24/05/2011 - Secure Flight Passenger Data (SFPD) |
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Secure Flight Passenger Data (SFPD) For Travel to / from USA
To comply with new security regulations being introduced for passengers flying to and from the USA a new programme has been has been developed and has become MANDATORY for all passengers travelling into the USA. This suppliments the ESTA (Automated eligibiluty to travel to the USA under the Visa Waiver Program. which everyone travelling to the USA must comply with)
To assist all Airlines and to comply with this new legislation your Travel Agent must collect SFPD on confirmation of all flight bookings.
· Full name (as it appears on a valid non-expired travel document (passport)
· Date of Birth
· Gender
· Passport Number
This data supplements APIS and ESTA details which are still required.
Our agency is liable to the airlines for this information being entered into your reservations and failure to comply may result in your booking being cancelled.
THE AIRLINE WILL NOT ALLOW TICKETS TO BE ISSUED WITHOUT THIS INFORMATION
To assist Travellers booking with CTS we suggest that everyone who flies with us fill in our online Traveller profile where this data will be captured for every flight you book via CTS.
Traveller profile ensures we have all your mandatory data as well as your personal travel preferences ensuring your requests are met each and every time you book your flights.
Click on the green tab for Travellers Profile and set up your own profile you only need your email and your CTS account number to complete your details.
Should you require any further information on this matter or help with your profile please call 0191 2515000 our staff will be able to assist you
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| 13/04/2011 - FCO Locate service |
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| The FCO have a locate service for individuals or groups travelling overseas which will allow the British Government to help locate you in case of an emergency. Please register your details when travelling |
| 13/04/2011 - FCO Locate service |
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The FCO have a locate service for individuals or groups travelling overseas which will allow the British Government to help locate you in case of an emergency. Please register your details when travelling
http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/staying-safe/Locate/
Sign up for our consular registration service so that we can find you in the event of an emergency.
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