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PAT-DOWN BACKLASH GROWS
(source: CNN.com)
As backlash against airline passenger pat-downs intensified, the nation's top airline security official said Monday that his agency is walking a fine line between privacy concerns and public safety.
The TSA is trying to strike a delicate balance, TSA Administrator John Pistole said -- ensuring the safety of the traveling public while taking privacy concerns into account. "The bottom line is, everybody wants to arrive safely at their destination," he said.
Pistole pointed out that the pat-downs are not mandatory -- passengers receive them only if they opt out of a screening with advanced imaging technology. The technology is the TSA's best effort, he said, to head off attacks like the would-be Christmas Day bomber last year. Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab allegedly had a bomb sewn into his underwear on a flight from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, to Detroit, Michigan.
Asked whether the technology and pat-downs would have been able to find that device, Pistole said he believes they would have, saying it would have shown up as "an anomaly" with the imaging technology and then might have been located in a pat-down.
There has never been an explosive found on a flight from one U.S. city to another, Pistole acknowledged. But, he pointed out, domestic terrorists exist -- Timothy McVeigh, Eric Rudolph and Ted Kaczynski, for instance -- and there are people who want to do the government harm. While America is "fortunate" that such an incident has not occurred on a domestic flight, he said, it could conceivably happen.
"We welcome feedback and comments on the screening procedures from the traveling public, and we will work to make them as minimally invasive as possible while still providing the security that the American people want and deserve," Pistole said in a statement released Sunday. "We are constantly evaluating and adapting our security measures, and as we have said from the beginning, we are seeking to strike the right balance between privacy and security."
The ramped up use of pat-downs and full-body scanning is needed to stop non-metallic threats including weapons and explosives from getting aboard planes, the TSA says. And it appears that most Americans agree.
In a recent CBS News poll, 4 out of 5 Americans supported the use of full-body scans.
Pistole told CNN that the outcry over the new screening was overblown.
"Very few people actually receive the pat-down. In spite of all the public furor about this, very few people do," he said.
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MORE AMERICANS TRAVELING FOR THANKSGIVING
(source: MSNBC.com)
The number of Americans traveling for the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday this year is expected to rise 11.4 percent from 2009 thanks to an improved economy, said travel and auto group AAA.
Close to 42.2 million travelers will venture at least 50 miles from home, up from the 37.9 million Americans who did so last Thanksgiving.
The projected rise stems from an increase in gross domestic product, real disposable personal income and household net worth, combined with a decrease in consumer debt, AAA said.
About 12 percent more Americans will take to the roads this year; those flying will rise by 3.5 percent, the group said.
Although the increase in travelers is significant compared to last year's negligible 0.2 percent growth, the 4.3 million new travelers are fewer than half the number that decided to stay put from 2007 to 2009.
"The numbers confirm signs of strengthening in the transportation sector that correspond with improvements in retail sales," said Antoine Halff, first vice-president of research at Newedge Group in New York.
AAA estimated travelers' median spending this Thanksgiving would be $495, roughly the same as last year. Thanksgiving is less expensive than other travel holidays because the focus is on shared family meals, it said.
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REGISTERED TRAVELER PROGRAM CLEAR IS BACK
(source: USA TODAY)
Clear, a registered traveler service provider that closed last year, relaunched last week under new management.
Clear, now owned by privately held Alclear, began operating at Orlando International, charging subscribers $179 a year for front-of-the-line privileges at security checkpoints.
To join, travelers have to submit their fingerprints and iris scan, used by Clear's machines to biometrically confirm their identity at checkpoints.
In June, Alclear announced that Denver would be the launch airport, but subsequently chose to open in Orlando first. It'll announce the opening in Denver in "a matter of days," says Gareth Edmondson-Jones of Clear.
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THE LAWYERS' TRAVEL SERIVCE PREFERRED HOTEL PARTNERS PROGRAM
ARIZONA BILTMORE; THE WALDORF ASTORIA COLLECTION
2400 East Missouri Avenue
Phoenix
Built as one of Phoenix’s first resorts in 1929, the Arizona Biltmore was constructed in grand form by brothers Albert, Charles and Warren McArthur. Frank Lloyd Wright served as the consulting architect, and the Arizona Biltmore remains one of the only existing hotels in the world to benefit from his influence.
Throughout its colorful history, this acclaimed landmark has been graced by U.S. presidents, celebrities and world travelers. Arizona’s historic Grand Dame radiates an undeniable mystique of refinement and splendor. This acclaimed Phoenix Arizona Property features:
-740 guest accommodations
-78 one-and two-bedroom villas
-8 swimming pools
-7 tennis courts
-A full-service resort spa, salon and fitness center
-5 dining options
To keep connected while away from home, High Speed Internet access is available at the Arizona Biltmore. Choose from a variety of speeds best suited for business needs. Complimentary WiFi within the main lobby, Ocatilla lounge & patio and the Paradise pool.
The Lawyers' Travel Service Preferred Hotel Partners Program at the Arizona Biltmore; The Waldorf Astoria Collection rate is $199 (compared to a corporate rate of $229).*
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THE LAWYERS' TRAVEL SERIVCE PREFERRED HOTEL PARTNERS PROGRAM
EVENTI; A KIMPTON HOTEL
851 Avenue of Americas
New York City
A Chelsea Gathering Place Where Travelers Can Expect the Unexpected.
This new luxury hotel serves as one of the architectural highlights of the Chelsea neighborhood in Manhattan. Eventi, a Kimpton Hotel takes up an entire city block between West 29th and 30th Streets, facing Sixth Avenue.
Here are some of the features of this exciting new high rise hotel:
- This luxury boutique hotel features 292 guestrooms, all offering city views through floor to ceiling windows
- The hotel features 53 Suites, with two specialty suites offering an outdoor veranda facing 6th avenue
- An exciting gathering place for public and private events
- Glass-exterior, mixed-use tower, featuring an open outdoor plaza with public seating, a 22.5 foot wide outdoor art and media screen, and an art wall designed by acclaimed sculptor Tom Patti
- Some hotel suites feature outdoor terraces overlooking the plaza
- A large, multilevel bar and restaurant with outdoor seating in the plaza; a second restaurant will feature high-end European cuisine
- 15,000 square feet of elegantly designed indoor / outdoor meeting and event space
- A large ballroom with 18 foot ceilings and floor to ceiling windows can accommodate up to 250 guests for a high-end banquet
- A 1,000 square foot gym and a separate spa with treatment rooms
- A 530 car garage with valet parking services
The Lawyers' Travel Service Preferred Hotel Partners Program rate at the Eventi, A Kimpton Hotel is $349 (compared to a corporate rate of $475).*
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THE LAWYERS' TRAVEL SERIVCE PREFERRED HOTEL PARTNERS PROGRAM
LE MERIDIEN SAN FRANCISCO
333 Battery Street
San Francisco
Le Méridien San Francisco is a luxury hotel located in the heart of San Francisco's Financial District. The hotel is connected by a landscaped pedestrian bridge to the historic Federal Reserve Building, and the shops, entertainment, and cafés of the dynamic Embarcadero Center. Le Méridien is also steps away from San Francisco's main leisure attractions such as Chinatown and the California Street cable cars, with easy access to Fisherman's Wharf and Ghirardelli Square.
The guest rooms are spacious and many offer sweeping views of the bay as well as the city. The rooms have an attractive, contemporary décor and appointments with fine furnishings. Accommodations are 100% non-smoking and are equipped with wired and wireless High Speed Internet Access, plush robes, beds with 300-count Frette sheets, down duvets, and a Nakamichi stereo/CD player. Room service is available 24 hours a day.
A professional staff and superior facilities, including onsite catering and audiovisual resources with state-of-the-art telecommunication services, provide support for all conference needs.
Le Méridien San Francisco is a premier choice in the downtown area for one's next executive conference, meeting or retreat.
The Lawyers' Travel Service Preferred Hotel Partners Program rate at Le Méridien San Francisco is $239 (compared to a corporate rate of $355).*
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THE LAWYERS' TRAVEL SERIVCE PREFERRED HOTEL PARTNERS PROGRAM
THE WESTIN ALEXANDRIA
400 Courthouse Square
Alexandria
The Westin Alexandria is calming, soothing, and nurturing for all senses. Enjoy easy access from the King Street metro by taking a leisurely three block walk through the up and coming Carlyle district of Alexandria or utilize their complimentary Westin shuttle service. Experience historic Old Town by strolling to the many bars, restaurants, or waterfront views. Energize in fitness with their 24-hour Westin Workout facility that includes cardio and weight machines, indoor pool/whirlpool, and locker rooms. Refresh in the Westin Heavenly Bath, and enjoy a perfect night's sleep on the nationally awarded Westin Heavenly Bed. Unwind with spirits with their trendy Trademark Bar that offers wine flights, drink specials, and bartenders that are known locally for their creativity. Please the appetite in their Jamieson Grille by enjoying famous iced tea presentations, dessert shots, and fresh local organic cuisine. Be pampered by their first class staff. Be surprised. Be inspired. Be Westin.
The Lawyers' Travel Service Preferred Hotel Partners Program rate at The Westin Alexandria is $239 (compared to a corporate rate of $319).*
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* All rates are subject to availability.
______________________________________________________________
The Lawyers' Travel Service
www.lawyerstravel.com
info@lawyerstravel.com
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