Systems and procedures in place by November 1, 2009
Toronto, October 14, 2009
Air Transat, Nolitours and Transat Holidays are completing the last steps towards becoming compliant to the U.S. Secure Flight Program coming into effect on November 1, 2009.
Secure Flight is a program developed by the US Department of Homeland Security. The purpose of the program is to enhance the security of domestic and international air travel through the collection of specific passenger information for comparison to US security watch lists. The Secure Flight Program is applicable to all air travel destined to the United States and requires compliance by all Canadian tour operators and airlines.
As U.S. authorities have already stated their intention to expand the requirements to flights routed over the United States, it will be necessary for Transat and its airline partners to collect passenger information on all bookings, even for those not destined to the United States. This will also assist in ensuring the passenger experience is as seamless and efficient as possible at the airport.
Passengers will have to provide the following information at the time of booking (*minimum requirement is 72 hours prior to departure) in order to comply with the Secure Flight Program. Failure to provide this information can result in denied transport at check-in.
- Full name (as it appears on passenger’s government issued ID).
- Date of birth
- Gender
- Redress Number (if available)**
** Those who have been misidentified previously are invited to apply for a Redress number to help prevent watch list matched misidentifications in the future
Respecting passenger privacy is of the utmost importance to Transat and is a cornerstone of the Secure Flight Program. Furthermore, personal data will be collected as required, used, distributed, stored and disposed of in accordance with the stringent guidelines and all applicable privacy laws and regulations.
For further details about Secure Flight, visit the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at www.tsa.gov.
About Air Transat
Air Transat is Canada’s leading holiday travel airline. It carries some 2.5 million passengers annually to nearly 60 destinations in 25 countries. Air Transat has a fleet of 18 Airbus A330s and A310s. The company employs approximately 2,000 people. Air Transat is a subsidiary of Transat A.T. Inc., an integrated international tour operator with more than 60 destination countries and that distributes products in over 50 countries.
About Nolitours
Nolitours offers its customers across Canada a wide variety of competitively priced holiday packages available year-round, for sun destinations in the Caribbean, Mexico, Cuba, and Central and South America.
About Transat Holidays
Year-round, Transat Holidays provides its customers across Canada with a full range of holiday products. It offers sun vacations, with a choice of more than 140 hotels, mainly in the Caribbean, Mexico and Cuba, along with an impressive array of flights, packages and tours to some 30 European destinations. Transat Holidays also offers more than 100 cruises all around the world.