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Millennium Warning
Err Travel · November 27, 1999

Editor's Note: Last week's Err Travel column promised to continue a posting of mail about air rage. But to keep you apprised of current events, I'm slipping in this information about the recent updates to the State Department's Consular Information Sheets. Look for the continued posting of air rage mail next week.

The U.S. State Department has issued revisions to all its Consular Information Sheets. The revisions add sections about the likely impact of the so-called millennium bug on each country's automated systems and the consequent effects to US citizens living or traveling in those countries.

Coincidentally -- and this is some coincidence -- Canada and the United Kingdom released similar information through their respective foreign diplomatic offices the very same day. (Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has a Web page devoted to general Y2K issues in other countries, and I expect that they will be joining Canada, the UK and the US soon in providing more country-specific information. Events in East Timor seem to be more in their sights at present.

I reviewed the Consular Information Sheets of a few of the 196 countries and territories in the world that the State Department keeps tabs on. Much of the information is pabulum. For instance, "In countries that are not prepared, the Y2K problem could affect financial services, utilities, health services, telecommunications, energy, transportation and other vital services."

Duh.

But in some cases, the State Department does warn citizen to stay away. At least it warns us in the special language that is used by this diplomatic arm of our government. For example, in reference to the region that is home to Chernobyl, it notes that "to the extent that it is reliant on [computerized systems], the country appears to be unprepared to deal with the Y2K problem…. US citizens residing in Ukraine in late 1999 or early 2000 should be aware of potential difficulties. Americans planning travel to Ukraine should take into account fully the information in this document in planning their travel and its timing."

If I may interpret: Don't go.

Nevertheless, Kevin Herbert, Managing Director of the State Department's Office Of Overseas Citizen Services has stated that, to date, no Travel Warnings have been posted as a result of the Y2K assessments.

Surprisingly, the British, although reporting on the Y2K issues for only 47 countries, have gone a step further than the US They have issued a travel warning for Ukraine advising their citizens against "all holiday and other nonessential travel to the Ukraine over the New Year period and early January 2000 until the situation becomes clearer."

This is a rather significant action for the UK. Only a few months ago it, like our State Department, was seen -- at least by me -- as throwing softballs when it came to warning its citizens about travel to dangerous countries. Good for the Brits.

Overall, sifting through the Y2K information provided by Australia, Britain, Canada, and the United States can be useful in planning travel on and after the first of the year. As usual, the best advice to citizens traveling to foreign countries is to gather as much information from as many reliable sources as possible so that, as Herbert notes, "they may be better prepared to make informed personal decisions about their travel plans."

Dr. Terry Riley is a psychologist and travel security authority. His column appears on Wednesdays. He is author of the popular book Travel Can Be Murder. Visit his site at http://www.appliedpsychology.com or e-mail him at riley@appliedpsychology.com.