Industry Reports, News and Advisories

* Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO)
http://www.tico.ca/
Sultan Travel Ltd. TICO reg. : 2249628 (retail), 5000954 (wholesale)
When you purchase your travel services from a TICO registered travel agency you are protected by an industry financed Travel Compensation Fund. Find out more about the Compensation Fund and under what circumstances it provides protection to consumers as well as how to file a claim.

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UPDATE : travel.gc.ca
‏#Turkey: Travelling to #Istanbul?
You must obtain an e-visa before departure as visas on-arrival will not be available at the *** NEW *** #IstanbulAirport.

* PASSPORT / E-VISA APPLICATION FOR TURKEY : (as of JANUARY 01, 2015) All foreign passport and/or passport replacing documents must be valid for minimum 180 days beyond the arrival date. Please remember that e-visa is available through http://www.evisa.gov.tr/
Holders of normal passport issued to CANADIAN CITIZENS who have been unable to apply for their E-VISA online, can obtain an e-visa on arrival to Istanbul, at E-VISA KIOSKS for a maximum stay of 3 months.

* Registration service for all Canadians travelling or living abroad (ROCA): This service is provided so that the department can contact and assist you in an emergency in a foreign country, such as a natural disaster or civil unrest, or inform you of a family emergency at home.
www.voyage.gc.ca/faq/roca-eng.asp
www.travel.gc.ca/register

* Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) – CANADA : Starting March 15, 2016, visa exempt foreign nationals who fly or transit Canada will need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). Exeptions include US citizens and travellers with a valid visa.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/eta.asp

* EUROPEAN UNION (denied-boarding compensation system): If your flight is cancelled or is subject to a long delay, or if you are denied boarding on a flight for which you hold a valid reservation, you are entitled to certain rights in accordance with the EU Regulation 261/2004, which entered into force on 17.02.2005. The airline which carries out the irregular flight is responsible for granting you these rights.
http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/consumers/protection_of_consumers/l24173_en.htm

*** Important information for all NON-EU passport holders ***

as of August 2013, there is a new Schengen area-wide requirement.
All third country nationals entering the Schengen area will have to hold passports that remain
valid for at least three months following the date of intended departure from the Schengen area.

The full list of the 26 current (as of 2012) members of the Schengen area is:
Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

* SCHENGEN AREA : https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/schengen-area

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* TURKISH AIRLINES : ” bag to domestic with custom ” cities in Turkey : Adana, Izmir, Denizli, Kayseri, Antalya, Bodrum, Dalaman, Ankara, Gaziantep, Hatay, Konya, Nevsehir, Samsun, Trabzon, Malatya, Erzurum, Sivas, Sanliurfa, Elazig.

* EGYPTAIR : With 4 weekly non-stop flights from Toronto to CAIRO connecting to the Middle East, Far East and Africa, since beginning June 3, 2013. Air Canada add-ons are also available from/to Montreal, Ottawa, London, Windsor, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver and Halifax, to connect with this new flight.

* AIR CANADA – PREMIUM ECONOMY CLASS CABIN Air Canada Premium Economy service on nonstop from Montreal to Paris, starting July 11, 2013, with introduction on other international routes over time. (Boeing 777- 300).

* SECURE FLIGHT PROGRAM : Secure Flight Passenger Details
– Why airlines ask for your full name, date of birth and gender when booking your ticket ?http://www.tsa.gov/stakeholders/secure-flight-program

The American Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has extended its Secure Flight program, to cover USA over flights now, in addition to flights to/from the USA directly.
“USA-over flights”, according to the TSA, are all those flights that while en route, as scheduled, transit the US airspace or pass within 12 miles of the US border – i.e. Canada or Mexico.

Airlines are required to transmit the collected Secure Flight Passenger Data (in the sequence birthday, gender, surname, first name and, if available, the redress number) to the US authorities 72 hours prior to departure. Not entering the required SFPD for all concerned flights/city-pairs; may lead to the interruption of the automated ticket issuance. Missing SFPD may also lead cancellation of the correspondent flight segment.

* TURKISH AIRLINES new “complementary hotel accommodation program“, as of Feb 3rd, 2012; for international transit passengers :
– Economy and Comfort class passengers for more than 10 hrs. connection time,
– Business class passengers for more than 7 hrs. connection time.
Hotels will be Turkish Airlines’ corporate hotels that will be provided though “Hotel Desk” office which was located at the arrival floor after customs. Passengers should have checked visa procedures in advance. In the event that they are not granted visas at the transit, Turkish Airlines assumes no responsibility for providing hotel services.* NEW “EU” ID REQUIREMENTS for Children/Infants :
Effective June 26, 2012 new EU regulation requires that all customers, including children and infants travelling to/from EU destinations, must hold their own passport, travel document or identification card. This regulation is only applicable for EU document holders (except for document holders of DK, GB and IE).

* May 01,2010 : visitors entering CUBA are required to buy HEALTH INSURANCE. Since May 1, 2010, travelers must present proof of health insurance in order to enter the country. Upon arrival, travelers may be required to present an insurance policy, insurance certificate, or medical assistance card valid for the period of their stay in Cuba. Those who do not have proof of insurance coverage may be required to obtain health insurance from a Cuban insurance company when they arrive.
July 23, 2012 : If you are a dual citizen of Cuba and another country, you must use your Cuban passport to enter Cuba. You must also make sure to use your Cuban passport when entering your Advanced Passenger Information (APIS) before your flight, as well as when you check in online or at the airport.

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* EXPECTANT MOTHERS with complication-free pregnancies can fly up to the 28th week of their pregnancy without a doctor’s report. Pregnant women “expecting one baby” can fly with a doctor’s report that states that they are fit to fly by air carriage between 28-36 weeks. After that, they are no longer fit to fly even with medical clearance.

* In most cases for the transatlantic travel; the FREE BAGGAGE ALLOWANCES will be differentiated according to the service class flown, with variations in the number of free bags allowed and the permitted weight of each bag. Please note the maximum dimensions per bag of 158 cm (width + height + depth). Children aged two years and over are entitled to the same free baggage allowance as adults. Child safety seats can be carried free of charge provided that the model is approved and the child is travelling on a child’s fare and in a booked seat. For child seats that are not approved the usual free baggage allowance and excess baggage charges apply. The free baggage allowance for Infant (children under two years of age) is one piece of baggage weighing up to 23 kg and one folding pushchair.

A piece of hand luggage may not be larger than 55 cm x 40 cm x 20 cm and may not weigh more than 8 kg. In addition to your hand baggage and technical appliances you may take the following items into the cabin: a handbag, wrist bag or small bag (or small laptop bag) and their content , a coat, shawl or blanket , a small camera or a pair of binoculars , an appropriate amount of reading material for the journey , a infant carrier and baby food for the flight, crutches or other orthopedic aids you are depending on.

There is no additional allowance for sporting equipment, but it can be carried free of charge as part of your free checked baggage allowance. If the total number of bags is more than your free checked allowance, you will need to pay extra bag charges.

If your baggage exceeds this free allowance (in number, size, and/or weight), additional checked baggage charges will apply. Passengers who purchase travel on a code share flight or a flight with another airline may be subject to the baggage policy and other rules of the airline operating the first flight in their itinerary.
For transactions conducted outside Canada, additional checked baggage fees may be charged in the local currency of the country in which the transaction occurs.

* If you like to take your PETS along on your flight, please notify carrier when you make your booking but at the latest 24 hours before the departure date. There are restrictions on the quantity and species of pets on the flights. For these reasons, a reservation is required for the carriage of such pets in the cabin. You may take a dog or cat into the cabin, if the weight of the animal (including transport container) does not exceed six to eight kilograms. The animal has to be kept in a box measuring not more than 55 cm x 40 cm x 20 cm. You may use your own transport box if it has the necessary measurement and is watertight and bite proof.
Animals that cannot be transported inside the cabin will be transported by carrier in appropriate containers in an air-conditioned area of the cargo hold. You may use your own transport container for your animal if it complies with the relevant IATA (International Air Transport Association) regulations. The container must in any case be large enough to ensure that the animal can stand up and has sufficient space to move. Furthermore, containers shall be equipped with a water dish (empty). Animals are not included in the baggage allowance, and are counted as excess baggage. Please also ensure that you arrive at the airport with your animal in plenty of time before departure.* Children travelling outside of Canada “with one parent” may require legal documentation proving the other parent or guardian’s consent that the child may leave the country. Consult the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade at 1-800-267-8376 to determine if such documentation is necessary
http://www.voyage.gc.ca/preparation_information/consent-letter_lettre-consentement-eng

* Canadian law permits dual or multiple citizenships. You can be a citizen of another country and still be recognized as Canadian. There are both advantages and disadvantages to dual citizenship (or dual nationality), and you may not be fully aware of the privileges, obligations, and potential problems that come with it. The Government of Canada has developed a booklet to provide you with important information on dual citizenship.
http://www.voyage.gc.ca/publications/dual-citizenship_double-citoyennete-eng.asp

ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS It is the sole prerogative of each country or region to determine who is allowed to enter. All countries or regions have special requirements for persons intending to reside for extended periods (usually more than 90 days) or who plan to work, study, or engage in non-tourist activities. To obtain information on specific entry requirements, contact the nearest diplomatic or consular office of the destination(s) to be visited. Violations of entry and exit requirements may result in serious penalties. Entry may be refused even travel documents are complete.

SAFETY AND SECURITY The decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the traveller. The traveller is also responsible for his or her own personal safety. The purpose of the Travel Report is to provide Canadians with up-to-date information to enable them to make well-informed decisions.

TRAVEL HEALTH Standards of medical care may differ from those in Canada. Treatment may be expensive, and payment in advance may be required. Travellers are advised to arrange for medical insurance prior to departure. Do not rely on your provincial health plan to cover all expenses if you get sick or are injured while abroad. It may cover nothing or only a portion of the costs. Understand the terms of your supplementary insurance policy. Some credit cards offer their holders health and travel insurance. Do not assume the card alone provides adequate coverage.

resource : Travel Reports/Advisories, Foreign Affairs & Int’l Trade Canada (http://www.voyage.gc.ca)

* Sultan Travel is not responsable for the content of the external sites *