Iowans who are vacationing in some areas of Mexico are being told to stay indoors due to drug cartel-related violence, while many flights to and from Mexico are being cancelled or rescheduled. AAA Iowa spokesman Brian Ortner says if you have Spring Break plans to travel to Mexico soon, those plans could be in jeopardy.
“Check in with your travel agent if you have one. Check in with your airline, your hotel, your cruise line, and confirm the status of your trip. They’re going to be the first ones to know where things sit right now and how they’re able to handle the situations of where your destination may be,” Ortner says. “If you’re going on a cruise, itineraries may change at the last minute, so it’s important to remain flexible.”
A Mexican cartel boss was killed Sunday during a gunbattle with the Mexican military in his home state of Jalisco and cartel members responded by sealing off roads and setting vehicles ablaze in several states. Ortner can’t guess how long the unrest may last and he advises Iowa travelers to stay in the loop.
“With the uncertainty and unrest that we’re seeing in certain areas, preparation is going to be best,” Ortner says. “If you are on the fence, obviously, safety is paramount. If you have questions, reach out to your travel agent to see if you can cancel or change. Also, it’s not too late to add travel insurance to your plans, which might not be a bad option as well.”
Ortner recommends Iowa travelers enroll in STEP from the U.S. State Department website. The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program enables the U.S. to know where you’re going and to email you security, health and weather updates during your journey.
“Remain vigilant, monitor updates of your destination, plan, prepare,” Ortner says. “Have as much information ready as possible, and stay connected with those who are part of your journey, especially family and friends who may not be going with you so they know where you are so you can keep updated with them.”
Air travelers will need to know that TSA PreCheck has been reinstated after briefly being shut down a few days ago, while Ortner says Global Entry remains paused due to the partial federal government shutdown.
