travel agent meaning in chinese

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What is the translation of "travel agency" in Chinese?

"travel agency" in chinese, travel agency {noun}.

• volume_up 旅行社

travel agency manager {noun}

• volume_up 旅行社经理

Translations

• open_in_new Link to source
• warning Request revision

Context sentences

English chinese contextual examples of "travel agency" in chinese.

These sentences come from external sources and may not be accurate. bab.la is not responsible for their content.

Monolingual examples

English how to use "travel agency" in a sentence, similar translations, similar translations for "travel agency" in chinese.

• traumatized
• travel agency
• travel agency manager
• travel agent
• travel around the world
• travel charge
• travel coat
• travel day and night
• travel expense
• travel note
• travel service

In the Tok Pisin-English dictionary you will find more translations.

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• English to Chinese

Travel agent meaning in Chinese

Travel agent meaning in Chinese. Here you learn English to Chinese translation / English to Chinese dictionary of the word ' Travel agent ' and also play quiz in Chinese words starting with T also play A-Z dictionary quiz . To learn Chinese language , common vocabulary and grammar are the important sections. Common Vocabulary contains common words that we can used in daily life. This way to learn Chinese language quickly and learn daily use sentences helps to improve your Chinese language. If you think too hard to learn Chinese language, 1000 words will helps to learn Chinese language easily, they contain 2-letter words to 13-letter words. Below you see how to say Travel agent in Chinese.

How to say 'Travel agent' in Chinese

旅行社 lǚxingshe

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Here you learn top 1000 Chinese words, that is separated into sections to learn easily (Simple words, Easy words, Medium words, Hard Words, Advanced Words). These words are very important in daily life conversations, basic level words are very helpful for beginners. All words have Chinese meanings with transliteration.

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Chinese English Pinyin Dictionary

• 旅 行 社 lǚ xíng shè travel agency

Browse Dictionary

• 旅居 | lüju | lü ju
• 旅居车 | lüjuche | lü ju che
• 旅店 | lüdian | lü dian
• 旅检 | lüjian | lü jian
• 旅社 | lüshe | lü she
• 旅程 | lücheng | lü cheng
• 旅程表 | lüchengbiao | lü cheng biao
• 旅舍 | lüshe | lü she
• 旅行 | lüxing | lü xing
• 旅行团 | lüxingtuan | lü xing tuan
• 旅行支票 | lüxingzhipiao | lü xing zhi piao
• 旅行社 | lüxingshe | lü xing she
• 旅行者 | lüxingzhe | lü xing zhe
• 旅行袋 | lüxingdai | lü xing dai
• 旅行装备 | lüxingzhuangbei | lü xing zhuang bei
• 旅费 | lüfei | lü fei
• 旅途 | lütu | lü tu
• 旅游 | lüyou | lü you
• 旅游胜地 | lüyoushengdi | lü you sheng di
• 旅游团 | lüyoutuan | lü you tuan
• 旅游城市 | lüyouchengshi | lü you cheng shi
• 旅游客 | lüyouke | lü you ke
• 旅游景点 | lüyoujingdian | lü you jing dian

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The China Guide is a Beijing-based travel agency that customizes private tours, educational student tours, and incentive trips in China. We have more than ten years of experience crafting vacation packages for tens of thousands of travelers from the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, and beyond. Our mission is to tailor the most authentic and hassle-free China tours that reflect each client's interests and preferences.

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Right from our initial inquiry, to the outstanding communication with Sarah, to local guides who met us at the train stations and airports we were in good hands with the staff at The China Guide. Our family of 7 Canadians spent 3 weeks traveling through China and I can't emphasize enough how we appreciated their support from start to finish. Don't hesitate and let The China Guide work with you to plan an itinerary that is perfect for you. Don W on Tripadvisor

First time bring my kids to China, a home which I left over 28 years ago. My American friend recommended this company to me and they did an fantastic job for our 13 days trip in China. Erick from BeiJing are so knowledgeable and arranged the trip perfectly according to the weather and activities. Betty from XiAn covered all of our activities with very relaxing feeling even though we only have 24 hours in XiAn. This is a totally worry free luxury trip, and gave my kids a great impression on their mommy's homeland. We will definitely use this company again to arrange our next trip to China. J W on Tripadvisor

I've been blessed to travel around the world, and am happy to say that The China Guide is one of the most professional and organized tour companies that I've worked with. John Shors, bestselling author of Unbound

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▾ dictionary english-chinese under construction, travel ( sth. ) verb —, 旅 v (almost always used) (), 行 v (almost always used) (), 旅行 v (often used) (), travel noun —, 旅行 n (often used), travel expenses pl —, travel bag n —, travel time n —, travel widely (esp. as daoist priest or buddhist monk) —, business travel n —, travel industry n —, travel industry —, travel around many countries (idiom); peregrinations —, international travel n —, travel destination n —, travel agents pl —, travel agencies pl —, travel costs pl —, china travel service (cts), state-owned travel company —, travel agent n —, (of an official) travel with little luggage and just a small escort —, travel around the country (as itinerant peddler or entertainer) —, travel on v —, travel far and wide looking for sth, only to find it easily —, travel organized by oneself rather than in a tour group —, travel trade n —, yuan hongdao (1568-1610), ming dynasty poet and travel writer —, travel a thousand miles beats reading a thousand books —, ▾ external sources (not reviewed).

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Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprise (WFOE)

• WFOE introduction
• Public information

Travel agency Company incorporation in China

Last Updated: March 5, 2011

Application requirements(conditions):

• fixed premise.
• necessary business facilities
• The minimum registered capital:2.5 million
• quality deposit:600,000RMB
• investor is principally engaged in travel agency or tourism enterprises
• investor is the Tourism Industry Association Member of country (region)
• investor has a good international reputation and advanced management experience of travel agencies
• investor comply with Chinese laws and regulations relating to China's tourism
• Chinese investors of foreign-invested travel agencies should be the company established in accordance with the law; without major irregularities or illegal records in past three years; comply with the careful and specific industry requirements regulates by The tourism administration departments of the State Council
• tour operators total yearly amount of the establishment of foreign-controlled travel agencies by overseas investor is more than 40 million US dollars
• tour operators total yearly amount of the establishment of foreign-invested travel agencies by overseas investor is more than 500 million US dollars

Note: tour operators total yearly amount of the establishment of foreign-controlled travel agencies by Hong Kong and Macao service providers in the Mainland is no less than 12 million US dollars

Application procedure and documents:

1. pre-approval of name of wfoe examination and approval department:.

State Administration of Industry and Commerce (SAIC)

Time limit:

Within 5 working days

Required documents:

Pre-approval for names of enterprise

Appointment letter

2. pre-approval of setting up foreign-invested travel agency Examination and Approval Department:

National Tourism Administration

Within 60 working days

Application for setting up travel agency

Feasibility report

Articles of association of proposed China company

CV of manager and deputy manager of the travel agency

Credit certificate of investor (issued by the bank)

Identification that foreign investor is the travel agency or tourism enterprise

Identification that tour operator’s total yearly amount operated of foreign investor is more than 500, million US dollars

Identification that tour operators total yearly amount of the establishment of foreign-controlled travel agencies by overseas investor is more than 40 million US dollars

Certificate that investor is the Tourism Industry Association Member of country (region)

Investor has a good international reputation and advanced management experience of travel agencies

Proof of the use of premises

Proof of business facilities

3. application for setting up WFOE Examination and Approval Department:

Municipal bureau of commerce

Within 7 working days

Application for setting up WFOE

Appointment letter of member of board of directors

Identification of member of board of directors

list of member of board of directors

Identification of foreign investor (1、opening certificate、Identification of legal representative if the investor is a corporation, list of member of investor?shareholders、list of member of board of directors、resolution of represent authorized by the board of directors 2、copy of ID, if the investor is a person. The qualification certificate and identification shall be notarized by the national notary institution and authorized by the host country’s embassy (consulate))

Proof of the use of premises (including rental contract, proof of premises)

Notice for pre-approval name

4 x Letter of Authorization for legal documents service

Instrument of commitment

The copies of the ID and the power of attorney of the personnel

4、To process proposed agency code Examination and Approval Department:

State Bureau of Technical Supervision (The Administration Center of Organization Code)

2 working days after acceptance

Approval of Articles of association of proposed China company

Application of proposed agency code

5、Industry and Commerce registration of WFOE Examination and Approval Department:

7 working days

Application form of setting up WFOE

Approval by the approving authority and the copy of《Approval letter of foreign-invested enterprise》

2x Certificate of Incorporations or Equivalent document certified by Chinese embassy or Chinese consulate overseas. For individual investor: The passport copy of Investors need be certified by Chinese embassy or consulate.

2 x Bank reference letter

Company name application form, signed by investor.

4 x Letter of Authorization

Corporate secretary (contact) registration form

Besides, the printed name list of the investor, member of the board of director, general manager and supervisor, one copies each.

6、To record in Public Security Bureau Examination and Approval Department:

Municipal Public Security Bureau (the administration center of embarkation and disembarkation)

6 working days

The registration application for record

The identification of legal representative

Business license, approval letter, photocopy of approval

7、To engrave of chop of enterprise Examination and Approval Department:

Engrave of chop organization proposed by police station

2 working days

Required document:

Application form of chop engrave

8. Apply code of enterprise Examination and Approval Department:

3 working days after acceptance

Required materials:

Application form

Returning paper of proposed agency code

The identification of legal applicant

9. Tax registration Examination and Approval Department:

Municipal Local Taxation Bureau

5 working days

Identification of legal representative

Housing contract

Registration form of tax

10. Registration and Approval with State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) :

State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE)

Time limit for handling:

20 working days after acceptance

Written application (stamped by chop)

Copy of business license provided by the legal representative, non-legal representative enterprise shall provide original and photocopy of business license

Approval documents for approving the setting up of enterprise issued by the Commerce Department, the original and photocopy of the certificate.

Effective contract of foreign-invested enterprise (except for wholly-owned foreign enterprise), original Articles of association of proposed China company and its photocopy.

Original and photocopy of code of enterprise

11、Opening bank account

Due to the different requirement of the bank, the required documents need to be confirmed.

12. Financial registration Examination and Approval Department:

The financial bureau

Business license, approval certificate, photocopy of approval

Financial registration form

13. Statistic registration Examination and Approval Department:

The statistical bureau

Copy of Business license, approval certificate, photocopy of approval

Statistic registration form

14. Customs procedure to register WFOE Examination and approval department:

Within 5 working day

Copy of Business license

Approval certificate, photocopy of approval

Photocopy of Articles of association of proposed China company photocopy.

Photocopy of tax registration

photo State Development and Reform Commission

Copy of bank account certificate

Photocopy of certificate of proposed agency code

moulage of chop of enterprise、juridical person and apply to customs

Registration form for apply customs

Registration form of management for apply customs

PathToChina.com

Shanghai Office: Suite 2508, Westgate, 1038 Nanjing West Road, Shanghai, China 200040 Tel: (8621) 5108.8535

Regional Partner: Mr. Li Jun M: (86) 1360.168.0738

E-mail: [email protected]

Beijing Office: 12/F, South Tower, 8 East Guanghua Dongli, Beijing, 100022, Tel: (8610) 5166.4212 Tel2: (8610) 6563.7624

Hong Kong Office: Suite 1701, Henan Building, 92 Jaffe Road, Wanchai, H.K. Tel: (852) 6877.8862 Fax: (852) 8198.0080 Regional Partner: Mr. Simon Lee Email: [email protected]

25F, 1038 Nanjing West Road, Shanghai, 200040 | Shanghai Tel: 86-21 5108-8535 | Shanghai Fax: 86-21 5102 5277

Copyright © 2015 WFOE Organization

Chinese translation of 'travel agent'

• travel agent

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Follow our news, recent searches, ‘vague and broad’: china’s revised state secrets law sparks concerns from taiwan and foreign businesses, advertisement.

The law saw its biggest tweaks in more than a decade, and only its second revision since its introduction in 1988.

This audio is AI-generated.

Wong Woon Shin

SINGAPORE: China’s revised state secrets law has come into force, a move that has drawn concern over the potential risks of doing business in the country while also raising alarm bells in Taiwan.

Enacted on Wednesday (May 1), changes to the Law on Safeguarding State Secrets broaden the scope and depth of the legislation while also strengthening control by the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Together, these are the biggest tweaks to the state secrets law in more than a decade, and the second revision since it was first introduced in 1988. A draft was made public in late October last year before being passed with minor edits by the country’s top legislative body in February.

Beijing has framed the changes as necessary in addressing the challenges of the day while analysts view them as a reflection of its overriding focus on national security.

“Even in the economic sector, the administration has indicated a willingness to prioritise national security over market expectations. The authorities see it as a response to a perceived new security landscape,” said Dr Lim Tai Wei, adjunct senior fellow at the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) East Asian Institute.

China’s security authority has increasingly sounded the alarm over growing spying risks from foreign intelligence agencies. The Ministry of State Security has also urged everyday citizens to be on guard, recently warning of “espionage traps” in online dating and job hunting.

The changes to the state secrets law are also part of the continuing control over the flow of information under President Xi Jinping’s leadership, said Associate Professor Chong Ja Ian from NUS’ Department of Political Science.

“The law is vague and broad. There is substantial uncertainty over its application and limits, including whether these remain more or less stable over time.

“Authorities and agencies have a wide remit in controlling information, bringing the full force of the state to bear if necessary.”

CRITICISMS AND CONCERNS

The amended legislation has sparked unease in Taiwan, with authorities issuing a fresh reminder this week for Taiwanese to be aware of the risks and avoid unnecessary travel to China.

The law's vague provisions increase uncertainty, which together with the low transparency of rule of law in China means the risk of Taiwanese travellers violating the law has significantly increased, Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council said as reported by local news outlet Focus Taiwan.

Taiwan’s reaction continues the wave of criticisms and concerns over China’s new state secrets law when proposed changes were publicly laid out in October last year.

China wants to mobilise entire nation in counter-espionage

China's spy agency warns students studying, visiting and holidaying abroad against foreign espionage

Investors and foreign businesses then called for more clarity as they raised concerns about the heightened risks of doing business in China.

“Clarity on relevant terms … is essential for businesses to know where China’s red lines are - this should be a consideration when revising laws related to national security,” said the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China a day after the draft was made public.

WilmerHale, a United States-based law firm, said in March that the changes to the state secrets law created uncertainty and compliance challenges for businesses operating in China.

The law defines state secrets as matters “concerning national security and interests”, where disclosure could harm the country in areas like politics, the economy, defence and diplomacy.

The revised legislation also does not specify who is considered “personnel with access to state secrets”. 

While this is believed to cover employees in various government bodies, CCP organisations, state-owned enterprises and the military, there has never been an official list of those groups and the law does not give a clear definition, stated a Nov 2023 article by the South China Morning Post (SCMP).

China had 7.1 million civil servants as of 2012, according to state news agency Xinhua.

It has taken similar steps in the name of strengthening national security.

Updates to its sweeping anti-spying law took effect in July last year, expanding China’s definition of espionage to include cyberattacks against state agencies and banning the transfer of any information related to national security, among other things.

That law also drew criticism from the US, which warned that foreign companies in China could be punished for regular business activities.

SAFEGUARDING NATIONAL SECURITY

Chinese officials have framed changes to the state secrets law as necessary to address what they say are fresh challenges in protecting state secrets.

"At present, the situation… is serious and complex, and the struggle between espionage and counterespionage is acute and complicated," said Mr Li Zhaozong, head of the National Administration of State Secrets Protection, when presenting the draft in October last year.

The remarks echo what President Xi said earlier that year when he urged officials to be ready to deal with “worst-case and most extreme scenarios”.

China tightens curbs on foreign travel by bankers, state workers

China uncovers alleged Chinese spy for CIA

Late last month, Germany arrested four people on suspicion of spying for China. At the same time, two men were charged in the UK for similar offences. China has dismissed the spy claims, labelling them false and “malicious”.

According to China’s criminal law, whoever “steals, spies on, buys, or unlawfully supplies state secrets or intelligence for an overseas body, organisation or individual” can face life imprisonment.

State employees who “intentionally or negligently divulge state secrets” can be sentenced to up to seven years in prison, SCMP reported.

An Amnesty International report in 2021 claimed that “dozens of people” have been detained in China on charges related to state secrets since the law was introduced in 1988.

In 1993, Bai Weiji and Zhao Lei, a Chinese couple who formerly worked for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, were sentenced to 10 years and six years in prison respectively for “providing state secrets to a foreigner”.

Bai was accused of passing classified documents to the Washington Post’s Beijing correspondent while his wife was accused of translating some of the documents.

In 2006, Lu Jianhua, a Chinese sociologist with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, was sentenced behind closed doors to 20 years in jail for leaking state secrets.

His case was linked to that of Hong Kong journalist Ching Cheong, who at that time was chief China correspondent for The Straits Times.

Lu was accused of writing articles for Ching containing “top state secrets”. Ching himself was arrested in 2005 and sentenced to five years’ jail for spying before his release in 2008.

Ching published a book in 2013 recounting his incarceration, titled My 1,000 Days Ordeal: A Patriot's Torture.

According to an SCMP article, former Straits Times editor Leslie Fong, who was his immediate supervisor when he was arrested, said of the decision to publish the book: “Our stand on Ching Cheong is clear: we do not admit or accept the espionage charge levelled at him.”

Most recently, Chinese authorities claimed in January to have detained an individual alleged to be spying for Britain's foreign intelligence service. Officials did not specify whether this is under the anti-espionage or state secrets law.

Last October, it arrested a Japanese businessman who had been detained earlier on suspicion of espionage. Since 2015, Beijing has detained 17 Japanese nationals on charges of espionage and offences relating to national security, according to an Asahi Shimbun report.

Japan ‘closely monitoring’ case of Tokyo-based Chinese academic who went missing while in China

China court gives Australian writer Yang Hengjun suspended death sentence

Unpacking the revisions.

Some of the edits to China’s state secrets law are minor. For example, the first article adds the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation” as a driving factor for the legislation.

One new provision calls for the upholding of the CCP’s leadership in the work of safeguarding state secrets. A similar exhortation was included in recently passed amendments to legislation governing the State Council.

Other revisions have a clearer impact. For instance, international media outlets have highlighted a new provision on “work secrets” that requires government agencies and work units to protect pieces of information "that are not state secrets but will cause certain adverse effects if leaked".

Rules on the specific management of work secrets will be released separately, the legislation states, without giving a date.

“This enables PRC (People’s Republic of China) authorities at various levels substantial leeway to decide on what is a state secret. There seems to be little practical oversight or restraint on such exercises of executive authority,” Dr Chong told CNA.

Another revision tightens curbs on “personnel with access to state secrets”. They are already barred from travelling overseas without prior approval. This restriction now remains in place for an unspecified period even after they leave the job.

Dr Lim said these will likely tighten the net on information flows within China, especially among party, state and military personnel as well as individuals with access to sensitive information.

“Their departure from the country and employment with other organisations are scrutinised and curtailed,” he added.      Another amendment requires local governments - starting from the county level - to put aside money for the safeguarding of confidential information.

Public education on keeping state secrets will have to be part of the national system under the revised law. Mass media are encouraged to improve public awareness.

There is also a push to improve information security , with the provision of government support for the research and application of technology in this field. 

Overall, the revised state secrets law is possibly “deliberately broad and amorphous”, Dr Lim told CNA. He noted that this is in line with other national security-linked legislation, including that in Hong Kong .

Citing how legal enforcers have targeted “non-traditional” national security sectors like private consultancies , Dr Lim added: “The broader scope gives security agencies more leeway to conduct their security enforcement.”

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Biden-Harris Administration Announces Final Rule Requiring Automatic Refunds of Airline Tickets and Ancillary Service Fees

Rule makes it easy to get money back for cancelled or significantly changed flights, significantly delayed checked bags, and additional services not provided  

WASHINGTON – The Biden-Harris Administration today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued a final rule that requires airlines to promptly provide passengers with automatic cash refunds when owed. The new rule makes it easy for passengers to obtain refunds when airlines cancel or significantly change their flights, significantly delay their checked bags, or fail to provide the extra services they purchased.

“Passengers deserve to get their money back when an airline owes them - without headaches or haggling,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg . “Our new rule sets a new standard to require airlines to promptly provide cash refunds to their passengers.”  

The final rule creates certainty for consumers by defining the specific circumstances in which airlines must provide refunds. Prior to this rule, airlines were permitted to set their own standards for what kind of flight changes warranted a refund. As a result, refund policies differed from airline to airline, which made it difficult for passengers to know or assert their refund rights. DOT also received complaints of some airlines revising and applying less consumer-friendly refund policies during spikes in flight cancellations and changes. 

Under the rule, passengers are entitled to a refund for:

• Canceled or significantly changed flights: Passengers will be entitled to a refund if their flight is canceled or significantly changed, and they do not accept alternative transportation or travel credits offered. For the first time, the rule defines “significant change.” Significant changes to a flight include departure or arrival times that are more than 3 hours domestically and 6 hours internationally; departures or arrivals from a different airport; increases in the number of connections; instances where passengers are downgraded to a lower class of service; or connections at different airports or flights on different planes that are less accessible or accommodating to a person with a disability.  
• Significantly delayed baggage return: Passengers who file a mishandled baggage report will be entitled to a refund of their checked bag fee if it is not delivered within 12 hours of their domestic flight arriving at the gate, or 15-30 hours of their international flight arriving at the gate, depending on the length of the flight.  
• Extra services not provided: Passengers will be entitled to a refund for the fee they paid for an extra service — such as Wi-Fi, seat selection, or inflight entertainment — if an airline fails to provide this service.

DOT’s final rule also makes it simple and straightforward for passengers to receive the money they are owed. Without this rule, consumers have to navigate a patchwork of cumbersome processes to request and receive a refund — searching through airline websites to figure out how make the request, filling out extra “digital paperwork,” or at times waiting for hours on the phone. In addition, passengers would receive a travel credit or voucher by default from some airlines instead of getting their money back, so they could not use their refund to rebook on another airline when their flight was changed or cancelled without navigating a cumbersome request process.  

The final rule improves the passenger experience by requiring refunds to be:

• Automatic: Airlines must automatically issue refunds without passengers having to explicitly request them or jump through hoops.   
• Prompt: Airlines and ticket agents must issue refunds within seven business days of refunds becoming due for credit card purchases and 20 calendar days for other payment methods.  
• Cash or original form of payment: Airlines and ticket agents must provide refunds in cash or whatever original payment method the individual used to make the purchase, such as credit card or airline miles. Airlines may not substitute vouchers, travel credits, or other forms of compensation unless the passenger affirmatively chooses to accept alternative compensation.    
• Full amount: Airlines and ticket agents must provide full refunds of the ticket purchase price, minus the value of any portion of transportation already used. The refunds must include all government-imposed taxes and fees and airline-imposed fees, regardless of whether the taxes or fees are refundable to airlines.

The final rule also requires airlines to provide prompt notifications to consumers affected by a cancelled or significantly changed flight of their right to a refund of the ticket and extra service fees, as well as any related policies.

In addition, in instances where consumers are restricted by a government or advised by a medical professional not to travel to, from, or within the United States due to a serious communicable disease, the final rule requires that airlines must provide travel credits or vouchers. Consumers may be required to provide documentary evidence to support their request. Travel vouchers or credits provided by airlines must be transferrable and valid for at least five years from the date of issuance.

The Department received a significant number of complaints against airlines and ticket agents for refusing to provide a refund or for delaying processing of refunds during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. At the height of the pandemic in 2020, refund complaints peaked at 87 percent of all air travel service complaints received by DOT. Refund problems continue to make up a substantial share of the complaints that DOT receives.

DOT’s Historic Record of Consumer Protection Under the Biden-Harris Administration

Under the Biden-Harris Administration and Secretary Buttigieg, DOT has advanced the largest expansion of airline passenger rights, issued the biggest fines against airlines for failing consumers, and returned more money to passengers in refunds and reimbursements than ever before in the Department’s history.

• Thanks to pressure from Secretary Buttigieg and DOT’s flightrights.gov dashboard, all 10 major U.S. airlines guarantee free rebooking and meals, and nine guarantee hotel accommodations when an airline issue causes a significant delay or cancellation. These are new commitments the airlines added to their customer service plans that DOT can legally ensure they adhere to and are displayed on flightrights.gov .  
• Since President Biden took office, DOT has helped return more than $3 billion in refunds and reimbursements owed to airline passengers – including over $600 million to passengers affected by the Southwest Airlines holiday meltdown in 2022.   
• Under Secretary Buttigieg, DOT has issued over $164 million in penalties against airlines for consumer protection violations. Between 1996 and 2020, DOT collectively issued less than $71 million in penalties against airlines for consumer protection violations.  
• DOT recently launched a new partnership with a bipartisan group of state attorneys general to fast-track the review of consumer complaints, hold airlines accountable, and protect the rights of the traveling public.  
• In 2023, the flight cancellation rate in the U.S. was a record low at under 1.2% — the lowest rate of flight cancellations in over 10 years despite a record amount of air travel.  
• DOT is undertaking its first ever industry-wide review of airline privacy practices and its first review of airline loyalty programs.

In addition to finalizing the rules to require automatic refunds and protect against surprise fees, DOT is also pursuing rulemakings that would:

• Propose to ban family seating junk fees and guarantee that parents can sit with their children for no extra charge when they fly. Before President Biden and Secretary Buttigieg pressed airlines last year, no airline committed to guaranteeing fee-free family seating. Now, four airlines guarantee fee-free family seating, and the Department is working on its family seating junk fee ban proposal.  
• Propose to make passenger compensation and amenities mandatory so that travelers are taken care of when airlines cause flight delays or cancellations.   
• Expand the rights for passengers who use wheelchairs and ensure that they can travel safely and with dignity . The comment period on this proposed rule closes on May 13, 2024.

The final rule on refunds can be found at https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/latest-news and at regulations.gov , docket number DOT-OST-2022-0089. There are different implementation periods in this final rule ranging from six months for airlines to provide automatic refunds when owed to 12 months for airlines to provide transferable travel vouchers or credits when consumers are unable to travel for reasons related to a serious communicable disease. 

Information about airline passenger rights, as well as DOT’s rules, guidance and orders, can be found at   https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer .

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What the New Overtime Rule Means for Workers

One of the basic principles of the American workplace is that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay. Simply put, every worker’s time has value. A cornerstone of that promise is the  Fair Labor Standards Act ’s (FLSA) requirement that when most workers work more than 40 hours in a week, they get paid more. The  Department of Labor ’s new overtime regulation is restoring and extending this promise for millions more lower-paid salaried workers in the U.S.

Overtime protections have been a critical part of the FLSA since 1938 and were established to protect workers from exploitation and to benefit workers, their families and our communities. Strong overtime protections help build America’s middle class and ensure that workers are not overworked and underpaid.

Some workers are specifically exempt from the FLSA’s minimum wage and overtime protections, including bona fide executive, administrative or professional employees. This exemption, typically referred to as the “EAP” exemption, applies when: 

1. An employee is paid a salary,  

2. The salary is not less than a minimum salary threshold amount, and 

3. The employee primarily performs executive, administrative or professional duties.

While the department increased the minimum salary required for the EAP exemption from overtime pay every 5 to 9 years between 1938 and 1975, long periods between increases to the salary requirement after 1975 have caused an erosion of the real value of the salary threshold, lessening its effectiveness in helping to identify exempt EAP employees.

The department’s new overtime rule was developed based on almost 30 listening sessions across the country and the final rule was issued after reviewing over 33,000 written comments. We heard from a wide variety of members of the public who shared valuable insights to help us develop this Administration’s overtime rule, including from workers who told us: “I would love the opportunity to...be compensated for time worked beyond 40 hours, or alternately be given a raise,” and “I make around $40,000 a year and most week[s] work well over 40 hours (likely in the 45-50 range). This rule change would benefit me greatly and ensure that my time is paid for!” and “Please, I would love to be paid for the extra hours I work!”

The department’s final rule, which will go into effect on July 1, 2024, will increase the standard salary level that helps define and delimit which salaried workers are entitled to overtime pay protections under the FLSA. 

Starting July 1, most salaried workers who earn less than $844 per week will become eligible for overtime pay under the final rule. And on Jan. 1, 2025, most salaried workers who make less than $1,128 per week will become eligible for overtime pay. As these changes occur, job duties will continue to determine overtime exemption status for most salaried employees.

The rule will also increase the total annual compensation requirement for highly compensated employees (who are not entitled to overtime pay under the FLSA if certain requirements are met) from $107,432 per year to $132,964 per year on July 1, 2024, and then set it equal to $151,164 per year on Jan. 1, 2025.

Starting July 1, 2027, these earnings thresholds will be updated every three years so they keep pace with changes in worker salaries, ensuring that employers can adapt more easily because they’ll know when salary updates will happen and how they’ll be calculated.

The final rule will restore and extend the right to overtime pay to many salaried workers, including workers who historically were entitled to overtime pay under the FLSA because of their lower pay or the type of work they performed. 

We urge workers and employers to visit  our website to learn more about the final rule.

Jessica Looman is the administrator for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division. Follow the Wage and Hour Division on Twitter at  @WHD_DOL  and  LinkedIn .  Editor's note: This blog was edited to correct a typo (changing "administrator" to "administrative.")

• Wage and Hour Division (WHD)
• Fair Labor Standards Act
• overtime rule

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Meaning of travel agent in English

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• air corridor
• amenity kit
• caravanning
• high season
• package tour
• phrase book
• post-holiday
• put something up
• ranger station
• tourist trap

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Midwest tornadoes cause severe damage in Omaha suburbs

The Associated Press

Gopala Penmetsa walks past his house after it was leveled by a tornado near Omaha, Neb., on Friday. Chris Machian/Omaha World-Herald via AP hide caption

Gopala Penmetsa walks past his house after it was leveled by a tornado near Omaha, Neb., on Friday.

OMAHA, Neb. — A tornado plowed through suburban Omaha, Nebraska, on Friday afternoon, damaging hundreds of homes and other structures as the twister tore for miles along farmland and into subdivisions. Injuries were reported but it wasn't yet clear if anyone was killed in the storm.

Multiple tornadoes were reported in Nebraska but the most destructive storm moved from a largely rural area into suburbs northwest of Omaha, a city of 485,000 people.

Photos on social media showed heavily damaged homes and shredded trees. Video showed homes with roofs stripped of shingles, in a rural area near Omaha. Law enforcement were blocking off roads in the area.

Hundreds of houses sustained damage in Omaha, mostly in the Elkhorn area in the western part of the city, police Lt. Neal Bonacci said.

Police and firefighters are now going door-to-door helping people who are trapped.

Omaha Fire Chief Kathy Bossman said crews had gone to the "hardest hit area" and had a plan to search anywhere someone could be trapped.

"They're going to be putting together a strategic plan for a detailed search of the area, starting with the properties with most damage," Bossman said. "We'll be looking throughout properties in debris piles, we'll be looking in basements, trying to find any victims and make sure everybody is rescued who needs assistance."

Damaged houses are seen after a tornado passed through the area near Omaha, Neb., on Friday. Chris Machian/Omaha World-Herald via AP hide caption

Damaged houses are seen after a tornado passed through the area near Omaha, Neb., on Friday.

Omaha police Lt. Neal Bonacci said many homes were destroyed or severely damaged.

"You definitely see the path of the tornado," Bonacci said.

In one area of Elkhorn, dozens of newly built, large homes were damaged. At least six were destroyed, including one that was leveled, while others had the top half ripped off.

There were dozens of emergency vehicles in the area.

"We watched it touch down like 200 yards over there and then we took shelter," said Pat Woods, who lives in Elkhorn. "We could hear it coming through. When we came up our fence was gone and we looked to the northwest and the whole neighborhood's gone."

His wife, Kim Woods added, "The whole neighborhood just to the north of us is pretty flattened."

Dhaval Naik, who said he works with the man whose house was demolished, said three people, including a child, were in the basement when the tornado hit. They got out safely.

KETV-TV video showed one woman being removed from a demolished home on a stretcher in Blair, a city just north of Omaha.

Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said there appeared to be few serious injuries, in part because people had plenty of warning that storms were likely.

The exact link between tornadoes and climate change is hard to draw. Here's why

"We not upon by a sudden storm," Schmaderer said. "People had warnings of this and that saved lives."

The tornado warning was issued in the Omaha area on Friday afternoon just as children were due to be released from school. Many schools had students shelter in place until the storm passed. Hours later, buses were still transporting students home.

Another tornado hit an area on the eastern edge of Omaha, passing directly through parts of Eppley Airfield, the city's airport. Officials closed the airport to aircraft operations to access damage but then reopened the facility, Omaha Airport Authority Chief Strategy Officer Steve McCoy said.

Severe weather damage to Eppley Airfield in Omaha, Neb., can be seen from the Lewis and Clark Monument in Council Bluffs, Iowa on Friday Anna Reed/Omaha World-Herald via AP hide caption

Severe weather damage to Eppley Airfield in Omaha, Neb., can be seen from the Lewis and Clark Monument in Council Bluffs, Iowa on Friday

The passenger terminal wasn't hit by the tornado but people rushed to storm shelters until the twister passed, McCoy said.

Flight delays are expected Friday evening.

After passing through the airport, the tornado crossed the Missouri River and into Iowa, north of Council Bluffs.

Nebraska Emergency Management Agency spokesperson Katrina Sperl said damage is just now being reported. Taylor Wilson, a spokesperson for the University of Nebraska Medical Center, said they hadn't seen any injuries yet.

Before the tornado hit the Omaha area, three workers in an industrial plant were injured Friday afternoon when a tornado struck an industrial plant in Lancaster County, sheriff's officials said in an update on the damage.

The building just northeast of the state capital of Lincoln had collapsed with about 70 employees inside and several people trapped, sheriff's officials said. Everyone was evacuated, and three people had injuries that were considered not life-threatening, authorities said.

Sheriff's officials say they also had reports of a tipped-over train near Waverly, also in Lancaster County.

Two people who were injured when the tornado passed through Lancaster County were being treated at the trauma center at Bryan Medical Center West Campus in Lincoln, the facility said in a news release. It said the patients were in triage and no details were released on their condition.

The Omaha Public Power District reported that nearly 10,000 customers were without power in the Omaha area.

Daniel Fienhold, manager of the Pink Poodle Steakhouse in Crescent, Iowa, said he was outside watching the weather with his daughter and restaurant employees. He said "it looked like a pretty big tornado was forming" northeast of town.

"It started raining, and then it started hailing, and then all the clouds started to kind of swirl and come together, and as soon as the wind started to pick up, that's when I headed for the basement, but we never saw it," Fienhold said.

The Weather Service also issued tornado watches across parts of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. And forecasters warned that large hail and damaging wind gusts were possible.