SFO first airport approved for cell phone emergency alerts

The U.S. Federal Emergency Management System (FEMA) has granted permission to the San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to issue wireless emergency alerts to any cellphone on airport grounds. The new system, which would augment other methods of public notification at the airport, would only be used if there was an emergency or other situation that provided critical and potentially life-saving information. SFO spokesman Doug Yakel said, “Having the capability to get information directly to personal cellphones truly takes our emergency communication capability to the next level.”

According to FEMA, at least six other airports’ administrations including Dallas/Fort Worth International and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey are close to being able to implement similar capabilities while other airports have also applied for approvals.

China expands visa-free policy for transiting travelers

Nationals from 53 countries including the United States and Canada, who are transiting through Beijing on their way to a third country, can now stay over in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province for up to 144 hours without a visa. The previous policy only allowed visa-free stays for up to 72 hours. This new policy applies to the airport, train terminals and seaports. To take advantage of this new option, travelers pre-purchase tickets with a fixed date to depart to a third country or region within 144 hours.

Follow up: New rules for electronic device searches

In a follow up to last week’s article regarding policy changes to U.S. Custom and Border Protection (CBP) searches of electronic devices, travelers should note that while the number of searches have increased, fewer than one-hundredth of one percent of arriving travelers are impacted. These searches are not done randomly but are instead “used to find evidence in combatting terrorist activity, violations of export controls, intellectual property rights violations and visa fraud,” according to the agency.  Electronic device searches can only be conducted by the CBP. TSA officers do not have this authority.

Non-U.S. travelers who refuse to allow their devices to be searched could be denied entry into the United States. American citizens who refuse cannot be denied entry but can have their devices retained for up to five days.