Travel agent worried about proposed U.S. rules
Last Updated: Friday, October 12, 2007 | 9:33 AM ET
CBC News
A Charlottetown travel agent who does bookings for Cuba says his sales will take a hit if U.S. authorities demand passenger lists from Canadian airlines.
'I'm sure a lot of those people will find alternate routes.'— David Gregori, travel agent
The U.S. Homeland Security Department wants to see the names of passengers on flights that are not only landing in the U.S., but also passing through American air space.
That worries travel agent David Gregori, who believes his customers may now think twice about booking flights to Cuba.
"Any Canadian going to the States, if on their record it says they visited Cuba, could be in for a rough ride at the border," Gregori told CBC News Thursday.
Homeland Security says it wants to check passenger names against its no-fly list to stop known or suspected terrorists from getting on flights that cross U.S. territory.
Canadian airlines are already screening passengers against a Canadian no-fly list, one developed in co-operation with U.S. authorities.
Homeland Security has given assurances the passenger lists from Canadian flights will be destroyed within seven days.
But Gregori wonders how widely the information could be shared in the meantime.
Gregori is not only concerned about his Canadian customers.
He also wonders how it could affect American travellers who travel to Cuba through Canada.
It is illegal for Americans to visit Cuba unless they have official permission from the U.S. government. Gregori expects if names of passengers and passport information are being handed over to U.S. authorities, Americans going to Cuba without permission will be worried about getting caught.
"I'm sure a lot of those people will find alternate routes through Cancun, Nassau, et cetera," he said.
The Air Transport Association of Canada says the American proposal is a data-fishing expedition by a third party government. They accuse the U.S. of "using a hammer to swat a fly."
The U.S. government has given groups such as the ATAC until a week from Monday to register concerns about the proposal.
