Travel Alert: 5 Essential Tips for Embassy Closures Provided by Air Partner's Emergency Planning Division (EPD)

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Aug 08, 2013, 10:00 ET

NEW YORK, Aug. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- With nineteen US diplomatic facilities currently closed, throughout Asia, Africa and the Middle East, American travelers are taking extra precautions while traveling abroad.

Air Partner, a world leader in aviation charter services, has over fifteen years of experience planning and executing emergency evacuations for private clients and major corporations across the globe, through their Emergency Planning Division (EPD). Drawing on Air Partner's experience, Graham Davey, Emergency Planning Manager, has prepared five tips for individual business and leisure travelers, currently in potential hotspots, as recently featured by Jayne Clark in USA Today.

Always have your bag ready to go
Carry your Passport, local currency and visa paperwork with you
Make sure your mobile phone is fully charged
Monitor local media for potential threats
Make sure colleagues, family, etc., know your location at all times

* Have Air Partner numbers available if commercial options cease

Phil Mathews, President North America, says, "These situations can, and often do, arise out of nowhere. Preparation is always the key to safety. Air Partner constantly monitors potential hotspots, so we're ready to protect our clients, before the situation becomes critical. Travelers should think the same way and we recommend these simple tips as good practice when traveling abroad."

Graham Davey adds, "When faced with a dangerous situation, such as the current US embassy closures, we advise personnel to avoid looking like an affluent target. The best thing to do is dress to blend in and avoid drawing too much attention. In many areas you may not be in any danger, but you can always minimize your risk by staying calm, using good sense and maintaining a low profile."

Air Partner's EPD is currently supporting over 35 clients (O&G, Chemical, Banking, Charities) in over 87 countries around the world. They were responsible for evacuating over 12,000 foreign nationals during the Arab Spring of 2011 and have most recently implemented evacuations in Algeria and Egypt. The EPD also provides proactive contingency planning during potential threats, such as recent escalation on the Korean peninsula, where the EPD was on standby for 8 separate clients.

In addition to man-made dangers, Air Partner's EPD provides contingency services and aid in the event of natural disasters, most notably during the fallout of the tidal wave and nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Japan. To date, Air Partner has been able to deliver over 500 tons of humanitarian aid around the world through their Freight Division.

Developed in 1998, by then company director, Alan Marler, Air Partner pioneered the concept of emergency air services and continues to act as the leader in proactive contingency planning and evacuation services.

About Air Partner
Air Partner has been trading for over 50 years and is a world-leading provider of aviation charter services to industry, commerce, governments, and individuals worldwide. The Group is globally recognized as a leading charter broker and organizes ad hoc aircraft charters of every type for any reason. Its three main divisions comprise Air Partner Freight, Air Partner Commercial Jets and Air Partner Private Jets. The Commercial Jets division charters commercial airliners to move groups of any size. Private Jets offers the company's pre-paid Jet Card scheme and on-demand charter for individuals and smaller parties. With its headquarters alongside Gatwick airport in the UK, Air Partner operates 24/7 year-round and employs 200 aviation professionals across its 21 offices spanning Europe, North America, the Far East, and Middle East. Air Partner is the only company in the aviation industry to hold a Royal Warrant, a globally recognized mark of excellence.

About Phil Mathews
British-born Philip Mathews graduated from Buckingham University in 1989 with a BA (Hons) in Politics, Economics, and Law and has worked in the aviation industry for more than 20 years. He joined Air Partner in 2002 and was appointed President of the US business in 2003.

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SOURCE Air Partner, Inc.