Posts Tagged ‘Safety’

Advisory from the United States Department of State

Sunday, April 8th, 2012

This is directly from the Department of State. Although this applies directly to Hungary, several Eastern European countries have these issues too.

There are several clubs and restaurants in Budapest about which the U.S. Embassy has received numerous complaints from U.S. Citizens for engaging in unethical business practices. Victims have reports with the Embassy describing the following practices: excessive billing of customers, physical intimidation to force customers to pay exorbitant bills (including holding a member of a party while others in the group pay the bill at ATMs, 24-hour cash facilities), and assault by club/restaurant employees for non-payment of excessive bills. There have been incidents, albeit rare, where U.S> citizens unknowingly have been drugged.

Further, do not let seemingly helpful taxi drivers or local women lure you to an establishment they recommend – they may receive a commission for bringing victims to the club/restaurant. It is also advised that you not patronize clubs/ restaurants that do not list prices or provide a menu with prices. Always verify the cost prior to purchase. Be aware that a menu switch may occur at the time of a billing complaint/dispute, for you may be handed a menu that lists higher prices and other hidden charges.

This list is not all-encompassing, so please use common sense and take note when/where one or more local women approach U.S. Citizens in the guise of friendship. Please note that most of these places are located in the Budapest’s fifth district, on/near the main tourist street, the Vaci utca.

Varoskozpont (accessible by an outside elevator)
Galaxia etterem, bar
La Dolce Vita
Nirvana Night Club
Ti’Amo Bar
Diamond Club
Pigalle Night Club

Join our NonRev Newsletter to get more information like this

Top 7 Security Ideas 2010

Sunday, January 24th, 2010

With the anneversery of the Attacks in Mumbia and the Christmas Bomber, it may be time to look at how safe we are on layovers.

  1. If leave a hotel, make sure you have 1 credit card on you
  2. If there is a situation at your hotel and you have to leave, take a credit card with you.
  3. If you are going to place where tourists hang out be careful
  4. If there is a terrorist attack, go several blocks away from your hotel.
  5. If your atributes do not match the majority of the people around you, go into a hotel, use your card, get a hotel room.
  6. Once in the hotel room, do not put out the ‘Do Not Disturb Sign” out on the door and contact your company or embassy.
  7. Tell the embassy where you are and give them a ‘password’ to use to positively Identify they are the good guys.

Seems clock and dagger, but it will save your life.

Please pass this on to all you know. It may save their life. If you would like more travel tips from expert travelers, go to the Road Warrior section on NonRevWebsite.com

Trapped in Mumbia – In Their Own Words

Saturday, March 28th, 2009

One of our own was trapped in Mumbia and took the time to write down his experience just before he left the country. Even though it is short, it gives a pretty good description of his harrowing experience. I don’t normally put things up like this, but in these unique times, it is best we stay informed of what we may experience. Like it or not, there are people who have issues with citizens of the free world, especially Americans.

This is why we have an “Emergency” section that displays the phone number and location of the Embassy, Police, and Fire Brigade on most of our cities on the “City” page. Just as you brief your crews on where to meet if there is an emergency on your layover, you should know where to find safety in any situation that may arise, no matter where you stay.

 

 

“It is now 3:15 am EST and I am near the Mumbai airport. I should be getting
on a plane in the next several hours to come home. . . with nothing but the
clothes on my back. I believe the fire in the Taj took all my belongings,
only a few of which were precious to me. I write notes to my girls and keep
them in my flight case, and they may or may … Read Morenot be recovered
later. Still too “hot” in more than one way to think about retrieving any
items. No passport, no uniform no airline ID, no computer, (this one is
borrowed),no suitcase, no flight case, but I am thankful. . .for the gift of
being ab le to come home and hug my girls. My daughters don’t really know
what happened and I prefer it that way, so please use discretion if talking
to them. I heard a lot of explosions, and gunfire, and had eaten at
Leopold’s a few hours earlier. The other First officer had been in his room
when the trouble broke out. He hunkered down for a while until the fire got
too close, then made a break for it.

Fortunately all xxx crews are accounted for and xxx has done a very good
job communicating with us and assisting from headquarters. I pretty much hid
for several hours in a cheap little hotel so as to stay out of sight (big
white guy draws attention) as I was not sure the streets were safe. At any
rate, I am coming home with no bags to check… Read More. Pray that India
and Pakistan doesn’t get violent in the next several hours at least. Also
pray for the hostages in the TAJ, as well as a couple xxx pilots still
unaccounted for that were staying at the Oberoy. That’s all for now. This is
pretty surreal!”

Lessons from Mumbia – How to Keep Terrorists Away

Thursday, March 26th, 2009

We have just received some new information about the Terrorist Plot in Mumbai. It appears that the Terrorists could not go to each room looking for victims at the hotel because there where thousands of rooms and they were a small force. Their solution was to knock on the doors that had a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the doorknob.

A solution to this problem is to call room service and tell them not to disturb you. Keep the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign off you door. Take advise from people who learned this lesson the hard way.

Please pass this on to all you know. It may save their life. If you would like more travel tips from expert travelers, go to the Road Warrior section on NonRevWebsite.com

Lessons from Mumbia – Deter Terrorists