Germany Travel > Munich

Munich Germany Travel Planner - Hotels Restaurants Languange Tipping Internet Access  You are here: About > Travel > Europe for Visitors > Germany Austria Switzerland > Germany Travel > Munich > Munich Germany Travel Planner - Hotels Restaurants Languange Tipping Internet Access Travel Go Europe Essentials European Vacation Planning Map Europe Travel 101 - Before you Go European Distances The Best of Europe European Photo Gallery Articles & Resources Europe Travel Planning What to do In Europe Lodging - Hotels and More European Travel Maps Sex and Nudism Travel Photography Transportation Benelux Countries France Germany Austria Switzerland Greece Italy and Malta Travel Info Scandinavian Travel Spain and Portugal United Kingdom and Ireland Buyer's Guide Before You Buy Top Picks Italy Travel Guidebooks Europe Travel Guidebooks German Travel Guidebooks Product Reviews Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Europe for Visitors newsletter! See Online Courses   Search Europe for Visitors Map of Germany showing Munich James Martin Stay up to date! Map of Germany showing Munich James Martin Email to a friend Print this page Munich Transportation Information Munich International Airport Munich Public Transportation Riding the Rails in Germany Munich Travel Information Facts about Munich Munich Weather Forecast Munich's English Garden Germany Travel Resources Germany Map and Travel Info German Rail Map Munich Travel Links Most Popular Europe Map - Distances Between Cities in Western Europe Europe's Best Nudist Beaches Europe Picture Galleries Italy Pictures Europe Travel 101 - Before You Travel to Europe for the Firs... What's Hot Power Adapters Noord-Holland - Delights of North Holland Travel Visiting Pompeii Italy Guidebooks Naples - Getting There Related Topics France for Visitors Greece for Visitors United Kingdom / Ireland for Visitors Eastern Europe for Visitors Italy for Visitors Munich Germany Travel Planner - Munich Information From James Martin , Your Guide to Europe for Visitors . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! Munich Essentials for the Traveler Part 1: Munich Essentials - How to get there, where to find hotels, how to stay connected. Destination: Munich Germany Founded: June 14th, 1158 by Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony. It's Germany's third largest city. Munich has the second biggest number of working people in Germany. Munich has 10 Universities as well as 45 Museums and Collections. Munich Germany Quick Facts Munich is located near the geographical center of the Southern German region of Bavaria. The population of Munich is 1.2 million people, about 280,000 of which are foreigners. About 80% of Munich was bombed by the Allies during World War II and subsequently rebuilt. Getting to Munich From Munich's airport, Franz Josef Strauss Flughafen, you can get to the Hauptbahnhof (the city's main train station) by S-Bahn #8. The bus station is near the train station, which is located on the northwest corner of the old city. [ map ] Languages While German is, of course, the main language used in Munich, English is widely spoken and taught in schools. Most restaurants in the town center offer English menus, many with quite interesting translations. It is easy to get by with little or no German language knowledge. Hotels (Note: 2002 prices cited) There are many hotels within walking distance of the main train station. The average price of a reasonable (or inexpensive) hotel with private bath and breakfast is around 100 €. We stayed at the Hotel Europäischer Hof for 99 €. The Hotel Monaco , nearby on Schillerstrauss, was voted the best two star hotel in Germany. Doubles at the Monaco start at 110 €. The recommended youth hostel is found on nearby Senefelderstrasse. Euro Youth Hotel is number 5 on the left side of the road coming from the train station. Restaurants If you find yourself in the tourist center near the Marienplatz, The Neues Rathaus (The New City Hall) has two "kellers", a winestaube and a beer cellar. The winestaube has music (accordion when we were there) starting at 5. The beer celler has good food, but don't be persuaded to sit in one of the empty rooms, enter the hall from the Diener Street entrance and try to find a table in the big, noisy, main room where Munichers eat. They do try to funnel English speaking people into dull, empty rooms. Tipping While service is included in the bill, generally waiters are tipped 5% for good service. Internet Access in Munich Internet access is right in the main train station. Just follow the signs to the Times Square Bistro. They charge .5 Euro for 5 minutes, a bit steep for Europe, but you can sit anywhere in front of a big LCD screen, order a beer and feel you're part of a bar scene rather than crammed into a steamy room full of beige boxes. The Bistro features a friendly owner, too. Just take a seat and start surfing--the time is recorded automatically. There are other internet services near the station on the south side of Bayer Strasse. Nudity and the English Garden Now here's a controversy for you--the tourist powers that be are worried that there aren't enough attractive natives baring it all in the middle of Munich. Yup, that's right, nudity was once a feature of designated areas of the Englischer Garten and the practice is fading--you used to be able to count on gawking at naked people downing liters of beer in the beer gardens. Perhaps you can apply to be a token Munich nudist and make money while vacationing--if I hear anything I'll let you know. Anyway, Munich's Englischer Garten is the largest in Europe and twice the size of Central Park. And you can still practice your nudity there while slugging down some strong beer. Other Sage Advice for Munich Germany Many museums in Munich are closed on Monday. Pick up a copy of "The Inside Track," the EurAide newsletter, at the ticketing office in the train station. The newsletter offers many tips on getting around and enjoying Munich. The EurAide office is near track 11, room three at the station. Get advice, find excursions, passes and travel deals there. Next page > Walks in Munich - Hitler's Munich > Page 1 , 2 , 3 More on Munich for the traveler • Part 2: Walks in Munich • Part 3: Visiting Dachau        Topic Index | Email to a Friend Our Story | Be a Guide | Advertising Info | Work at About | Site Map | Icons | Help User Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Privacy Policy | Kids' Privacy Policy ©2005 About, Inc., A part of the New York Times Company . All rights reserved. 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Taiwan Travel Information, Tour

IntraPorta's Taiwan Travel Minisite - Taiwan Specialty Travel, Taiwan Custom Vacations, Taiwan Adventure Tours, Taiwan Outdoor Travel, Taiwan Tourism, Taiwan Travel Information, Tour Operators Taiwan, Online Travel Booking, Travel Reservations, Travel Tickets, Travel Accessories, Travel Documents, Travel Books help tips Are you ready for a perfect getaway in Taiwan? Consult IntraPorta's Taiwan Travel Minisite for all your travel needs to and around Taiwan: Custom Vacations, Pre-packaged Specialty/Adventure Tours, Online Reservations, Travel Books, Travel Supplies and Destination Information. Insert Your Ad/Link at WorldwideTravelSites.com Golden Ad / Link Sponsoring Opportunity $ 6.95 monthly - first month free www.worldwidetravelsites.com For viewing all travelsites at which you can put links on or place ads: Go to global travelsite index I am a: man woman Looking for a: man woman for: Love romance Quick Flight Search Depart From: Departure Date: Departure Time: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 AM PM Arrive At: Return Date: Return Time: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 AM PM Passengers: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Adult Unaccompanied Child Accompanied Child Senior Citizen Student Youth Infant Without Seat Infant With Seat Advanced search Consult IntraPorta's Worldwide Travelfinder for all your Travel Needs around the world. Popular Minisites Specialty/Adventure Travel Minisites All Travel Topics Accommodations Airfares Car Rental Cruises Transportation Travel Accessories Travel Auctions Travel Books Travel Discounts Travel Events Travel Planning Travel Reservations Travel Tips Travel Warnings Worldwide Travel Information City Guides City Index Country Information Country Index Destination Guides Geography Globetrotting Mapping Worldwide Travel News, Magazines and Organizations TravelMole.com - Travel News TwCrossroads - The Internet news source for the global travel industry Travel News from TravelAgents.com EyeForTravel Business Travel News More Travel News and Travel Magazines Business Travel Travel Organizations World Information Global Gazetteer, a directory of 2.880.532 of the world's cities and towns, sorted by country and linked to a map for each town Find any place on earth (Concierge) Maporama.com - maps + itineraries + weather + phone numbers World News World Facts World History More World Information Special Sites All The World's Newspapers Greatestplaces.org Quoteland.com - worldwide quotes Merriam Webster's Dictionary More Special Sites Internet Cafes Internet CyberCafe Database Cybercafes.com Cybercaptive.com Netcafes.com Traveltales.com Worldwide Communication Groups IntraPorta's Taiwan Travel Minisite is a communication platform as well where you can meet your fellow Taiwan worldwide travelers, independent travelers, do-it-yourself travelers, adventurous travelers, backpackers, global travelers, savvy travelers, business travelers, opiniated travelers, hardy travelers, discerning travelers, intrepid travelers, globetrotters, vagabonds.... COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR FELLOW WORLDWIDETRAVELERS VIA WORLDWIDETRAVELER YAHOO!GROUP (CLICK HERE) Multi-Language Minisite Languages, Foreign Languages, Translations, Webtranslations, Internet Translations, Online Translations Multi-Dictionary Minisite Online Dictionaries & Encyclopedias 2000-2001 IntraPorta. All Rights Reserved. Return to Home ---------------------- Quick Travel Finder ---------------------- City Index City Information Continental Index Country Index Country Information Country Region Index Country Region Information General Portals Meta Travel Resources Newspapers Travel Sections Specialized Portals Special Sites ---------------------- All Travel Topics (Glossary) ---------------------- Travel Discounts Travel Events Travel Offers Travel Planner Travel Reservations Travel Shopping ---------------------- Site Index... *_l.txt Taiwan Get more advertising / link sponsoring information at WorldwideTravelSites.com Friendfinder.com Friendfinder is the most popular place for people looking to meet others for romance, dating, friendship and more! Millions of exciting members worldwide! Anonymous emails - private & safe! Sign up in 3 simple steps! Local and International Specialty Tour Operators serving Taiwan Special Interest / Adventure / Outdoor Travel (InfoHub) Taiwan - Destination Information Tourism in Taiwan Expedia Travel - Taiwan Start4all.com - Taiwan Lonely Planet - Taiwan CIA World Fact Book - Taiwan Ethnologue: Languages of the World - Taiwan Lycos Travel - Taiwan Travel Notes - Taiwan World Travel Guide - Taiwan Yahoo!Travel - Taiwan Yahoo!Chinese Send an Internet Greeting Card Enter Card ID Number to Pickup Your Greeting Card Tell A Friend! Type In Your Name: Type In Your E-mail: Your Friend's E-mail: Your Comments: Receive copy:

Argentina Travel: Build yourself

Travel to Argentina: Information on the country Argentina www.spanishcourses.info www.spanishcourses.info not only provides information on Argentina , but also information on countries, cities and Spanish courses and an independent directory of language schools in Spain and Latin America . » CLICK HERE to go to the information on Argentina with complete navigation environment. Classiefied ads with photos to meet people from Argentina, find friends, pratise Spanish (language exchange) or travel together. » More information inside - click here General information on Argentina Argentina Information on Argentina » View map of Argentina Argentina, the country between the mountains of the Andes and the Atlantic Ocean, with its fantastic capital Buenos Aires, its Pampas and Gauchos, the famous wine of the Mendoza region and the Patagonian landscapes in the south. » List of Spanish language schools in Argentina » Press, newspaper, television channels and radio in Argentina » Conjugate regular and irregular Spanish verbs Inhabitants: 38.740.807 Money: Peso Argentino (ARS) Spoken languages: Spanish Borders with (Country names in original language): Chile, Uruguay, Brasil, Bolivia, Paraguay Capital: Buenos Aires Typical products: Red wine of Mendoza, Argentine steaks Geography of Argentina Argentina can roughly be divided into three parts: The fertile plains of the Pampas in the northern half of the country, the centre of Argentina's agricultural wealth; the flat to rolling plateau of Patagonia in the southern half down to Tierra del Fuego; and the rugged Andes mountain range along the western border with Chile, with the highest point being the Cerro Aconcagua at 6,960 m. Pampa Plains A plains region interrupted only by the the small mountains of Tandil and La Ventana sierras. Its tourist potential is mainly reflected on the big city of Buenos Aires. An industrial and commercial pole that offers an intense cultural activity. Besides the large number of beaches on the Atlantic Coast in the Pampas region, Tandil and Ventana offer an impressive landscape. Photo provided by Nicols Ariel Zonvi Mar del Plata Film Festival If you like the movies, you can come to one of the most important Spanish-speaking film festivals in a beautiful coastal city on the banks of the sea. The Mar del Plata Film Fest is a perfect conjunction of art, theory, critical, market, industry and popular assembly. Projection of National and international movies Awards for producers, actors and directors. The “Ombú” Award of gold, silver and platinum is given with the presence of foreign and national artists. The festival is organized by the National Institute of Movies and Visual Arts. (See link below) Information provided by CICLO Buenos Aires Central Sierras The Region of the Sierras is peppered with small mountains crossed by plentiful rivers, streams and artificial lakes. There are many small cities and villages to visit and explore. Adventure tourism, swimming and water sports are the main activities to take part in. Photo provided by cordoba.net Cuyo It is an arid mountainous region, which is cut by plentiful rivers that make up majestic canyons such as that of the Atuel Canyon. Rafting, mountaineering, trekking and many other adventure activities are all possible here. Excellent ski resorts such as that of Las Leñas Valley. Visits to wineries. Northeast Cascades, rapids and waterfalls are the main features of Iguazu Falls. The Littoral offers numerous beaches, islands and ideal places to practice swimming and water sports. There are thermal fountains and hot springs in several cities. Andean Patagonia The mountainous Patagonia region, peppered with natural lakes, glaciers and woods is one of the most astounding landscapes of Argentina. Excellent for adventure tourism activities like trekking, rafting, and mountaineering. Water sports and excursions in its numerous lakes. There are excellent snow skiing resorts such as Chapelco, Mount Cathedral and many hot springs soak in after. Atlantic Patagonia The eastern part of Patagonia that borders with the Atlantic Ocean and sometimes called the Patagonian Plateau, posseses a very distinct relief. An area rich in sea life. In the northern area, you will find good beaches for swimming with comfortable water temperatures. Scuba diving is one of the other important attractions. The Gaucho The word "gaucho" was used in the regions of the River Plate, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil,(although there the word is gaúcho) to name the horse riders of the planes or "pampas", who kept cattle. The origin of this word is not very clear. "Guahu-che" is the most popular one and means "people who sings sadly"; it comes form araucano and denotes melancholy. The ‘gaucho’ is the fruit of the mixture of Spanish and aborigine blood; he started to create his own personality in the primitive vaquerías of the colonies. There he learned the tasks connected to cattle rising with a singular skill and founded his body to his inseparable friend: the horse. He spends most of the time on horseback, which is why he hates agriculture, since he must be standing all day long. His indomitable value made him the bases of the South American Independence. He was a shepherd in times of peace and a soldier in times of war. The big area of the "pampas" planes finally moulds his conduct. He is very free, of simple habits and leads a wandering life. That freedom which he faces his life with brings back to him a lot of misfortunes. He was excluded for a long time, but as time passes by he was popularly accepted and the word gaucho is now synonym of uprightness and nobility of heart. Information provided by CICLO Buenos Aires Photo provided by CICLO Buenos Aires The China (gaucha) The "Gaucha" is also called "China". She was the loyal companion of the "gaucho". Her occupation was to grow corn, watermelon and onion. She baked their bread and used the mortar and pestle for crushing the charque, the wheat and corn. She brought up the children and she also wove her companion’s ponchos. She was as a good rider as he was. She used to wear a cotton shirt, underskirt and headscarf. She usually wore two braids. Sometimes she would also wear a loose and low-cut dress. She liked smoking. Information provided by CICLO Buenos Aires Photo provided by CICLO Buenos Aires City Info and cities with Spanish languge schools in Argentina: Bariloche Crdoba Gualeguaych Mendoza Santa Fe Buenos Aires Links - Argentina: »www.iberospanish.com Spanish school BERO (Buenos Aires) »www.set-idiomas.com.ar Spanish school SET IDIOMAS (Crdoba) »www.academiabuenosaires.com Spanish school Acad. Buenos Aires (Buenos Aires) » www.camuniaviajes.com These pages will guide you in the search of the tourist destination that you want, with great variety of accomodations and activities that can be carried out during your vacations in Argentina. » www.travelsur.net Argentina Vacation - Argentina Travel: Build yourself a trip to Argentina or choose from our ready made packages. » www.literatura.org Contemporary literature of Argentina (Website in Spanish only) » www.mardelplatafilmfest.com Mar del Plata Film Festival - One of the more important Spanish-speaking film festival » To add a link Travel Service - Argentina » Find cheap flights to Argentina » Rent a car in Argentina » Find a hotel in Argentina www.spanishcourses.info www.spanishcourses.info not only provides information on Argentina , but also information on countries, cities and Spanish courses and an independent directory of language schools in Spain and Latin America . » CLICK HERE to go to the information on Argentina with complete navigation environment. » Esta pgina sobre Argentina en espaol (This page about Argentina in Spanish) » Diese Seite ber Argentinien in deutsch (This page about Argentina in German) Spanish courses and language schools worldwide - HOME » close ad spanishcourses.info launches club-buenosaires.com It's Summer It's cheapest It's Tango ... It's more ... It's B u e n o s A i r e s We help you to find the most convenient Spanish school the most suitable accommodation an appropriate flight That's what we can do for you. » Click for more information www.spanishcourses.info www.spanishcourses.info Learn and study Spanish with Spanish courses in Spain and Latin America www.spanishcourses.info is an independent directory of Spanish language schools from all over the world - All school information provided by the schools themselves. » www.spanishcourses.info - HOME (with complete navigation menu) ۞ In other languages: » Esta pgina sobre Argentina en espaol (This page about Argentina in Spanish) » Diese Seite ber Argentinien in deutsch (This page about Argentina in German) Spanish courses INFO brings to you: Information on countries and cities all over the world, where you can study abroad and learn Spanish Presentations of Spanish language schools with photos, courses, accommodations, and fees Contact the schools DIRECTLY and for FREE (without any intermediary) Many language programs with information and descriptions of them and a link to their own homepage Spanish regular and irregular verbs - tenses online provided by the schools A lot of links to interesting web sites about the countries and cities Book flights and hotel reservation services check flight and hotel availability for your Spanish speaking destination. Classified ads to find people to practise Spanish, travel together or make new friendships. Next country: » Description of the country Bolivia » Press, TV and radio stations of Bolivia » Spanish language schools in Bolivia Previous country: » Description of the country Venezuela » Press, TV and radio stations of Venezuela » Spanish language schools in Venezuela » www.spanishcourses.info - HOME (with complete navigation menu) Spanish & Family in Mlaga (Spain) Homestay with a Spanish family in Malaga (Spain) Sometimes it could be cheaper and more effective: Select the school you want and organise your homestay in a Spanish family during your Spanish language course by your own! » More information

travel insurance direct we

Travel Insurance - USA Travel Insurance Products USA Flight Insurance is a leading travel insurance authority. By selling travel insurance direct we save our customers up to 50% in commissions charged by other companies. Travel insurance can be arranged months in advance of a trip, and our fully trained and friendly staffs are happy to provide advice and general information as well as issuing quotes and policies. Travel insurance is one type of insurance you are guaranteed to use. We need medical attention from time to time, and some of us need it quite often. When it is needed, you want to focus on getting better ­ not on how you are going to come up with the money to pay your medical bills. A good travel insurance plan allows you to focus on what's most important, your physical well being. Is there anyone who doesn't need travel insurance? Even if you're young, healthy and haven't had to see a physician in years, you never know when you might be involved in an accident or be diagnosed with a serious medical condition. While your health coverage will pay for things that aren't too costly like routine doctor's visits or lab tests, the main reason to have coverage is to have protection against the potentially tragic cost of serious injury or illness. You may consider it as an annoyance and an extra expense, and hopefully you may never need to use it - but travel insurance is vital if you are going abroad. Travel insurance takes much of the stress out of unforeseen events (such as loss of valuable or luggage, delay or cancellation), as well as protecting you against the (often very high) cost of medical treatment. You might decide not to buy travel insurance because you think you're covered elsewhere. But you need to make sure that you're adequately protected. Don't be tricked into thinking that the travel accident insurance that comes with your credit card gives you full travel coverage - it doesn't. Travel Articles Inexpensive Things to do in Atlanta during the summer Slip into some shorts and a cotton shirt and prepare to have wholesome, cheap fun in Atlanta during the summer. From free concerts to inexpensive Asian meals, Take One magazines to Starbucks on every corner, and down the way to Little Five Points where parking is cheap and refundable, and shops call out to you on the sidewalks with their air- conditioned caverns. Read more... Main Menu Home Page Travel Insurance Flight Insurance Articles Travel Advice Health Center Insurance Terms Travel Forums Contact Us About Us Site Map Who's Online We have 10 guests online Travel Forums - Housing Bubble Home default notices spike Freddie Mac CEO says high-end housing bubble in some markets (CBS Market Watch) If Housing Slumps, How Safe Are You? (BusinessWeek Online via Yahoo! News) Seattle may escape housing bubble (Seattle Post-Intelligencer) Fed chief keeps eye on housing (Kansas City Star) USA Travel Insurance Insurance Licence #0E66207. All rights reserved.

air travelers. These proposals

Air Travel Privacy Air Travel Privacy Latest News | Resources | Identification Schemes | Profiling | FOIA Documents | Other Documents | Analysis | Previous Files The right to travel is a part of the "liberty" of which the citizen cannot be deprived without due process of law under the Fifth Amendment ... Freedom of movement across frontiers in either direction, and inside frontiers as well, was a part of our heritage. Travel abroad, like travel within the country, may be necessary for a livelihood. It may be as close to the heart of the individual as the choice of what he eats, or wears, or reads. Freedom of movement is basic in our scheme of values. "Our nation," wrote Chafee, "has thrived on the principle that, outside areas of plainly harmful conduct, every American is left to shape his own life as he thinks best, do what he pleases, go where he pleases." -- Justice William O. Douglas, Kent v. Dulles (1958) Post-September 11, several measures have been considered to improve aviation security. Some of these proposals, such as improved training for airport screeners, checking all bags for bombs, strengthening cockpit doors, and placing air marshals on flights, do not implicate privacy interests and are sound security measures. Others, however, present privacy and security risks to air travelers. These proposals concern efforts to identify passengers and schemes to distinguish the "good guys" from the "bad." EPIC will make available on this page aviation security and privacy related documents it obtains from the government under the freedom of information law to promote and inform the public debate over these new schemes. In earlier responses to security threats the FAA issued a secret regulation that allowed airlines to demand photo identification and instituted a new profiling program called CAPPS (Computer Assisted Passenger Pre-screening System) based on travel data airlines routinely collected. See Previous Files . New proposals advocate using biometric credentials for "trusted travelers" and using extensive data mining of credit history, criminal records, and travel patterns to profile all airline passengers. NASA has even suggested developing "non-invasive neuro-electric sensors" or brain scans at the security gate to see if people are having suspicious thoughts. The stated goal of these new proposals is to rely on technology to reduce the "hassle factor" in airports and to reduce security threats. The core idea is to focus security resources on suspicious travelers, while ensuring that most people are not inconvenienced by heightened security. Terrorists, however, have been known to go to great lengths to look like most people. Former Transportation Security Agency chief John Magaw refused to endorse a "trusted traveler" card, fearing that it would be the first thing a terrorist will try to obtain. New profiling and identification programs will convert airport security into all-purpose police stops where criminals, deadbeat dads, and others seeking to avoid law enforcement for non-aviation security related reasons face the risk of being arrested. The basic structure of passenger profiling is to use an algorithm to determine indicators of characteristics or behavior patterns that are related to the occurrence of certain behavior. The CAPPS-II initiative will expand the range of databases searched for suspicious activity so that each airline passenger will be subjected to an extensive profiling. John Pointdexter's office in the Defense Department is considering developing a similar Total Information Awareness system. Each structural element of the CAPPS-II profiling system, however, raises a host of complex questions: Algorithm: What logic will be used? What is the basis for developing the algorithm? What are acceptable false positive and false negative rates? Indicators: What indicators are relevant? Are these indicators available? Who will collect and store the relevant indicators? Related: How are the indicators related to particular kinds of behavior? Is that relationship reliable? Behavior: Who determines what behavior should be targeted? What types of specific behavior will the system try to catch? In addition there are several technical issues such as how reliable is the data used to make profiling decisions? What kind of data should be collected and how long should the data be retained? Who will have access to the data and for what purposes? The policy issues also need to be addressed: what will be the rights of individuals to control their personally identifiable information? What recourse will be available for someone wrongly identified or denied a service? Will profiling based on deep data-mining stand up to charges of equal protection and due process violations? The new proposals directly implicate long standing constitutional protections under the fourth and first amendments, including the right to travel, and must be clearly understood and properly considered by the public. Latest News EPIC Joins Campaign Against Biometric Identification. Civil liberties organizations have sent a letter to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) regarding their plans to include biometric identifiers such as fingerprints and facial scans on all newly issued electronic passports. The letter, organized by Privacy International , warns this will lead to the first truly global database of biometric information. For more information, read the letter from the Campaign, see EPIC's biometrics page, and read a story by the BBC . (Mar. 30) EPIC Suit Uncovers Watchlist Errors. EPIC has uncovered agency documents through the Freedom of Information Act that raise important questions about how the Transportation Security Administration currently operates the "No-Fly" watchlist. The concerns surrounding the agency's administration of the list previews several potential problems with the proposed roll out of CAPPS-II , the Enhanced Computer Assisted Passenger Pre-screening System. For more information, see EPIC's analysis of the FOIA documents. (Apr. 1) Senators Want Answers on Air Profiling. The Senate Commerce Committee has unanimously agreed to an amendment (pdf) by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) that would require the Transportation Security Administration to report to Congress on the privacy and civil liberties implications of the controversial CAPPS-II air passenger profiling system. See EPIC's Passenger Profiling page for more information. (Mar. 13) EPIC Comments on Air Travel Database. EPIC submitted comments on a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) proposal [PDF] to create a new database of Aviation Security Screening Records on all airline passengers. EPIC argued that the proposed system did not provide sufficient information for the public to contribute meaningfully to this rule-making procedure, and that the proposed system would infringe on the Constitutional right of association and travel. See TSA Docket for more information and public comments. (Feb. 24) EPIC Criticizes Gov't Rule on Citizen Travel. EPIC has filed comments [PDF] on the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)'s proposed rule to collect passenger manifest information on all international travelers, including American citizens and legal permanent residents. The comments argue that the proposed rule is legally deficient because the INS has not complied with the Privacy Act in creating this new "system of records." EPIC has asked the INS to reissue its notice and meet the requirements of the Privacy Act. The comments also note that, by collecting and sharing travel data about citizens, the INS is placing a burden on the right to travel and the rights of anonymous association. (Feb. 4, 2003) EPIC Files Suit for "No-Fly List" Information. Seeking information about aviation security watchlists, EPIC has filed a lawsuit [PDF] against the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in federal court in Washington. The legislation creating TSA authorizes the agency to maintain such lists, which reportedly have been used to interfere with the travel of political activists. (Dec. 12, 2002) Resources EPIC's presentation for the National Academy's seminar on Concealed Threat Detection , March 2005. Transportation Security Agency Aviation and Transportation Security Act of 2002 EPIC v. TSA FOIA Lawsuit seeking information on new identification and passenger profiling schemes Implementation of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act with a Focus on the 60-day Deadline for Screening and Checked Baggage House Transportation Committee, Subcommittee on Aviation, Jan. 23, 2002 Audit Reports on Aviation Security Office of Inspector General, Department of Transportation White House Commission on Aviation Safety and Security web page. EPIC's Profiling Page. EPIC's National ID Page. EPIC's Biometrics Page. EPIC's Face Recognition Page. EPIC's Terrorism Page: Information on pending efforts in Congress to increase wiretapping and gather personal information. EPIC's new page on Surveillance of European Air Travelers . Identification Schemes Gilmore v. Ashcroft -- FAA ID Challenge Aviation Security Biometrics Working Group [see Steering Committee Analysis for detailed information on proposed biometric identification schemes] Airlines Plan Quick System For Identifying Passengers Washington Post , June 22, 2002 Smart Check-In Cuts Airport Lines Wired News , Feb. 5, 2001. [Trusted traveler schemes have been contemplated well before 9/11] Maximus Flysecure proposal Profiling Trading Freedom for Security . The New American Magazine , May 5, 2003. EPIC's new Passenger Profiling page. Air Security Focusing on Flier Screening . Washington Post , September 4, 2002. Intricate Screening Of Fliers In Works . Washington Post , Feb. 1, 2002. Carnival Booth: An Algorithm for Defeating the Computer-Assisted Passenger Screening System . MIT/Harvard Law School Student paper. Electronic Record Systems and Individual Privacy . U.S. Congress Office of Technical Assessment OTA-CIT-296. House Transportation Hearing on Airline Passenger Profiling . Feb. 27, 2002. ACLU Passenger Profiling Complaint Form Documents Obtained under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) EPIC Suit Uncovers Errors in TSA's Watchlist , April 2003. NASA Ames Research Center Northwest Airlines Briefing . December 10-11, 2001. Other Documents Final Report of the White House Commission. Initial Report of the White House Commission (September 9, 1996). Executive Order 13015 creating the White House Commission on Aviation Safety and Security (August 22, 1996) ( PDF version ) Initial Federal Register notice of public meeting of White House Commission. Revised Federal Register notice announcing that part of the Commission's meeting will be closed to the public "in the interest of national security." 1994 statute authorizing FAA research into security matters (including "behavioral research") and exempting information relating to such research from disclosure under the FOIA. Analysis Image of a person scanned using a new x-ray device from AS&E. National Academy of Sciences report " Airline Passenger Security Screening: New Technologies and Implementation Issues " Paper on the limitations of profiling , Roger Clark, Australia National University. ACLU testimony before White House Commission on "Civil Liberties Implications of Airport Security Measures" (September 5, 1996). Letter to Privacy Journal editor Robert Ellis Smith from the FAA denying Smith's request for a copy of the FAA Security Directive on identification of airline passengers. HotWired article " Fear of Flying " on proposals. (September 11, 1996). Previous Files FAA Proposes Profiling Regulations. The Federal Aviation Administration published proposed regulations on April 19, 1999, governing "Security of Checked Baggage on Flights Within the United States." The draft rules detail the use of computer profiling techniques to identify suspicious passengers. Public comments can be filed until June 18, 1999. Airline Passenger Profiling Goes Into Effect. The Computer Assisted Passenger Screening System is scheduled to be phased in nationwide beginning on January 1. Under the system, passengers who "fit the profile" will be selected for heightened security measures, which can include a thorough search of their luggage, intrusive personal questioning, tagging of luggage with orange tape, and a physical escort from the check-in counter to the airport gate by security personnel. The ACLU is providing an online complaint form for passengers targeted by the profiling system. Microsoft Chief Architect Charles Simonyi tells what happens when you "fit the profile" (from Slate ). Proposed FAA rule for collecting personal information including name, address, Social Security Number, Date of birth and next of kin for every domestic passenger. General Account Office report, Aviation Safety and Security: Challenges to Implementing the Recommendations of the White House Commission on Aviation Safety and Security (Testimony, 03/05/97, GAO/T-RCED-97-90). The Gore Commission has released its final report recommending passenger profiling. A coalition of 17 groups has sent a letter to Gore opposing ID checks, profiling, new x-ray technologies and excessive secrecy by the FAA in making decisions. EPIC Privacy Page | EPIC Home Page Last Updated: March 29, 2005 Page URL: http://www.epic.org/privacy/airtravel/default.html