UK: Don't travel around Y2K

From: Newsbytes News Network

By Sylvia Dennis

In a stark warning to would-be travelers over the end-of-Millennium period, the British Y2K agency has warned people against traveling for about five weeks over the New Year period.

The warning comes from Taskforce 2000, the British government-sponsored Y2K agency, which says its advice follows publication by the Foreign Office and the U.S. State Department of Y2K readiness gathered from around the world.

Robin Guenier, Taskforce 2000's executive director, said that putting faith in information published by official bodies is a mistake. "The Foreign Office cannot offer real advice because it's impossible to get good information about Y2K. It would be unwise for travelers and businesspeople to base their plans on the Foreign Office's data," he said.

Guenier said that, even in the UK, there are only assurances and not verifiable information about the UK infrastructure. "So how can we possibly be certain of self-certified information from elsewhere?" he said.

As a result of this, Guenier said that Taskforce 2000 is advising people not to travel unless absolutely essential for a period of five weeks, beginning a week before the date change through to January 31, 2000.

"We don't offer this advice lightly. Our concern is that the Y2K problem creates potential for extreme inconvenience and disruption around the world," he said.

Guenier added that, against this backdrop, the risks and dangers that may be a consequence are, on balance, not worth taking.

The agency says that, if people have business or other interests overseas, get information from as many sources as possible and do not rely on government information alone.

Guenier said that it is down to individuals to make their own decisions as to whether they should travel. The agency, he said, wants people's decisions to be based on the best information available.

"Taskforce 2000's advice concentrates on taking sensible precautions at a time of uncertainty and probable instability. A little caution now may well save people from extreme inconvenience and possible danger later," he said.

Taskforce 2000's Web site is at http://www.taskforce2000.co.uk.

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), September 16, 1999

Answers

Compare that to what the U.S. says:

State Dept Says No Y2K Travel Warnings Needed September 14, 1999: 9:33 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON, DC, U.S.A. (NB) -- By David McGuire, Newsbytes.

No country in the world faces Y2K dangers grave enough to warrant issuing travel warnings to US citizens at this time, State Department Undersecretary Thomas Pickering said at a packed press conference today.

"The fact that we are not issuing travel warnings at this time...may be taken by some as being reassuring," Pickering said. "We could easily get to (Jan. 1) without any travel warnings," he added. But Pickering did not rule out the possibility that the State Department could issue Y2K-related travel advisories between now and Jan. 1, 2000.

The State Department today released much-anticipated Y2K updates to its Consular Information Sheets for 196 countries and territories around the world. Each country-specific sheet now contains a few paragraphs on the Y2K readiness of the country in question. The brevity of the State Department Y2K statements drew early criticism from the Senate's top Y2K watchdog.

"The State Department report barely scratches the surface of serious Y2K problems facing many countries around the world," Sen. Robert Bennett, R-Utah, said in a release. "The report contains boilerplate language, making it difficult to discern the difference in Y2K readiness between well- prepared and unprepared countries. For example, one can discern little difference between China and Mexico, which are widely believed to be at opposite ends of the preparedness spectrum."

Bennett is chairman of the Senate Special Committee on the Year 2000 Technology Problem.

While the State Department did not rank countries in terms of Y2K preparedness, some nations received fairly negative Y2K write-ups in the Consular Information Sheets. Ukraine, for instance, is "unprepared" to deal with Y2K glitches, according to the State Department.

And while the State Department has applied no ratings system to the information contained in the Consular Information Sheets, most nations appear to be classified as "well prepared, generally prepared, somewhat prepared or unprepared."

The Consular Information Sheets are available online at http://travel.state.gov/travel_warnings.html .

Also, the International Y2K Cooperation Center maintains an extensive report on the Y2K readiness efforts of more than 70 participating countries. That report is located online at http://www.iy2kcc.org/CountryWeb.htm .

Reported by Newsbytes.com, http://www.newsbytes.com .

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), September 16, 1999.

GOD sent HIS-SON, to save the world. the world say,s fu-q god.GOD say,s OK. have it your WAY.[I,M GLAD I ACCEPTED HIS OFFER] HE[LORD] DOESN .T SEND MEN TO HELL. THEY choose it.

-- god bless america.uh why????? (dogs@zianet.com), September 16, 1999.

Of course,the implications of the Uk statement embrace the movement of goods & mail as well as people. Stock up on imported goods now,folks !!!

-- Chris (griffen@globalnet.co.uk), September 16, 1999.

I have a bet with Johnny the Canuck that de Jager will not fly on New Year's Eve. I guess it will depend on where de Jager flys from :9 Here's a report from our airport in Philly.

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Air industry: We're ready for Y2K

by Marc Meltzer Daily News Staff Writer

Air travel will be ready for Y2K, officials said yesterday.

"Airlines and airports have worked closely together with one goal: a seemless transition into the new millennium," said Tom Browne, executive director of the Aviation Millennium Project, the aviation industry's joint year 2000 program.

Officials who met at a news conference at Philadelphia International Airport said computers will be able to recognize the four-digit date 2000 on Jan 1.

Browne said the nation's airlines have spent $750 million the last two years on the readiness effort.

"On Jan. 1, 2000, air travel will be as reliable and safe as it is today," he said.

He noted that surveys the industry has taken this month show that 19 percent of the public thinks Y2K is going to cause major problems, compared with 48 percent in June 1998.

Other survey results:

Fewer than one-in-five Americans believe Y2K is going to cause major problems.

Fewer than one-in-10 Americans have changed their travel plans to avoid flying on or around Jan. 1.

About 82 percent of the public believe major airlines will be ready for Y2K; 80 percent believe air traffic controllers will be ready, and 78 percent believe the airplane manufacturers will be prepared.

At USAirways, "thousands of items have been checked for Y2K compliance," said Alan Abner, senior director, information technology for the airline, which serves Philadelphia with the most flights.

"It will be business as usual when Jan. 1, 2000, rolls around," he said.

At Philadelphia International, more than 95 percent of potentially affected systems are compliant, said Charles Isdell, deputy director of operations. "The remainder will be done well in advance of Dec. 31.. . .

"We are confident this airport is as prepared as any in the United States."

-- BB (peace2u@bellatlantic.net), September 16, 1999.

The warning comes from Taskforce 2000, the British government- sponsored Y2K agency....

That is not correct. Action 2000, not Taskforce 2000, is the UK government Y2K agency. Taskforce 2000, as I understand it, is a breakaway group, that got disgusted with how the UK government was proceeding on Y2K.

Can't the US press get anything right?....

-- Lane Core Jr. (elcore@sgi.net), September 16, 1999.

"Action 2000": http://www.bug2000.co.uk/ That's the official one. The yellow & black "bug" graphic is what's on all the posters and official advice.

"Taskforce 2000": http://www.taskforce2000.co.uk/ It seems from the .../about.html that these people were govt-funded but not any more.

Confusing. I think I'll set up an "action2000.co.uk" just to muddy the waters a bit more.

-- Booo.... (booboo@boo.boo), September 16, 1999.

Thanks, Boo.

-- Lane Core Jr. (elcore@sgi.net), September 16, 1999.