Dear Tammy: There are so many changes in travel laws that we need to be aware of.
Can you please explain to me which states allow residents to use their driver's license as an ID and those that don't? I just don't seem to be able to keep up.
Tammy: That's like saying you're a doctor and can't keep up with the latest medical advancements in your field-hogwash.
As a travel agent, it's your responsibility to keep up with the ever-changing laws in order to be able to help your client travel to their destinations.
It's really not hard to follow. The new laws go into effect at the beginning of 2018-January 22nd to be exact-and relates to nine states: Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Washington.
If your client is a resident of any one of these states, he or she will have to use another form of identification to get through TSA security-and this is the important part: no matter where they are traveling, even if it's in the United States.
The identification can include a passport, military ID or permanent resident card.
This is happening because these nine states failed to meet the government's minimum security standards, so they now must verify every traveler's identity. Keep in mind that this list can change if the states comply with the laws and meet the standards. If they do, those states will be granted extensions before the law are to take effect.
The best way to solve the problem is to encourage any clients who are from these states listed to either get a passport- or chance waiting to see if their state's laws change in time.
You should also be notifying your clients of these laws, either through your Facebook page or other social media, through an email newsletter or even a snail mail letter.
Keep your clients up to date on what's going on in the world.
It's time to advise your clients about this and other changes they need to know about when they travel. They trust that you are the expert providing valuable information. Imagine if one of your clients was suddenly stuck at the airport and couldn't travel on their vacation because you didn't tell them about this change?
Do you honestly think they would trust you to plan another vacation for them? I didn't think so.
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