(NAPSA)—If yow’re thinking of flying during the winter holiday season, a little advance planning can help smooth out a lot of the bumps. The airline industry’s ontime performance in the first seven months of 2007 was its worst since 1995, with only 74 percentofflights arriving on time, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. The winter holiday season is one of the busiest travel times of the year, with millions of people traveling over a short period of time. Passen- With air travel soaring, it’s nice to know you’re covered in case of a cancellationsor lost baggage. These holiday travel tips can bring wrappedgifts to the security checkpoint at the airport. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) may have to unwrap gers should plan accordingly and be prepared in the case offlight delays, help ease the hassles of traveling during the holidays: Cover yourself. Passengers can cover their holiday travel invest- ment by purchasing a comprehen- sive travel insuranceplan,like those sold on www.travelguard.com. Travel Guard plans, for example, cover everything from trip cancellation to lost baggage and medical expenses while traveling, as well as providing 24/7 travel assistance. Most plans can be purchased up to 24 hours before departure. Also, in the event of a flight delay or cancellation, round-theclock travel assistance provides help with things such as rebooking flights and arranging hotels and ground transportation, and travel insurance through AIG Travel Guard could reimburse the covered additional expenses. And for those traveling with children over the holidays, Travel Guard just announced that chil- dren 17 and under are covered at no additional cost for each insured adult under the ProtectAssist plan. e Ship your gifts. Travelers should not pack wrapped gifts or cancellation or lost luggage. packages for security reasons. e Plan ahead. TSA regula- tions determine what you can and cannot pack in your carry-on luggage. All liquids, gels and aerosols must be in three-ounce or smaller containers and all such containers must be placed in a single, quartsize, zip-top, clear plastic bag. For up-to-date carry-on information, visit www.TSA.gov. Use the Internet to save time. Check in and print your boarding passes online to bypass long lines at the airport. e Arrive early. Always assume airport delays and planto arrive at the airports at least two hours before your departure time for both outbound and inboundtrips. e Bring your numbers. Bring the phone numbers of your travel agent and the travel-assistance hotline of your travel-insurance provider. If you’re staying at a hotel or renting a car, bring those contact numbers with you as well. For more information, travelers can visit www.travelguard.com or call (800) 826-1300. Note to Editors: The travel insurance offered through AIG Travel Guard is underwritten by American Home Assurance Company or National Union Fire Insurance Company ofPittsburgh, Pa., with their principal place of business in New York, N.Y. Both of these companies are subsidiaries of AIG. The policies contain reductions, limitations, exclusions, and termination provisions. Not all coverages are available in every state.
