Do AFF'ers register with Smart Traveller?

[Pushka]

maybe we could ask DFAT if we could just share our Tripit with them

That would be a start. Try registering when on a cruise. 12 ports in 13 days! Be great just to be able to register the ship.

 

[VPS]

That would be a start. Try registering when on a cruise. 12 ports in 13 days! Be great just to be able to register the ship.

Yes I'm having that trouble now trying to put a cruise on Tripit - it's normally so good but I don't want to type the whole thing in

 

[Doug_Westcott]

Most often I go on escorted tours for extended trips, with a couple of extra free days either side, in which case I don't bother. However whenever I make all the arrangements myself (eg Hong Kong, Singapore, etc) I always register.

 

[Pushka]

Mmm. Ok. This is not much assistance. I started with HK. Had to submit email and tel number. Ok. On to Paris. Nope. Can only register France. Had to submit email and tel number again. So probably not going to bother as it is hardly useful if they cant isolate where in France I am.

 

[RooFlyer]

Mmm. Ok. This is not much assistance. I started with HK. Had to submit email and tel number. Ok. On to Paris. Nope. Can only register France. Had to submit email and tel number again. So probably not going to bother as it is hardly useful if they cant isolate where in France I am.

Not sure what site you are on, but this is what it asks me (I filled in the destination address before I selected 'cruise'; without 'cruise' it simply takes the address provided:





No-one can make anyone use this service, but for me its a no brainer. In any event, no-one who declines the service should complain about the speed of the government response when there is a crisis and you really do need help.

 

[Pushka]

I'm using it on my phone. It looks like this:



No option for address or even city. When I select France that is all I can choose. I'll try the PC tomorrow.

 

[horseman]

Interesting, my first couple of trips I registered on it, but never thought to after that. However I have checked it several times for unknown destinations to see what I was getting myself into, never thought to register my travels for them.
I think my next trip I will, can't hurt.

 

[Buzzard]

Never have. No particular reason, just never have.

 

[Pablo]

I always use it and friends who work for consulates around the world certainly encourage it because If something goes wrong, terriorism, earthquake, tsunami etc, DFAT will immediately SMS those who are on the system and in the area. Much quicker than friends and family back home, and certainly the most up to date and relevant info.

Say there was a terriorist attack, they could SMS you advising where to stay put, or if there was a Tsunami coming, could advise you to get to higher ground etc.

I've found doing it on the iPhone app the easiest now - much easier than the website as it retains a lot of your details and doesn't require as much info.

It's one of those things that you probably don't feel like you need it most of the time, but if you do need it, you are so thankful that you had registered.

 

[Alanslegal]

Never have registered.

I regularly update on Facebook so my family and everyone else knows where I am and what I am up to, I have a family whatsapp chat group where we chat regularly so they know pretty much what I am up to and similarly they can inform me of any immediate dangers etc, and as always, call me for an immediate response.

 

[JohnK]

I have never registered.

Don't see the point. It adds a layer that does not need to be there. My family know exactly where I am at any point in time.

 

[clazman]

I always do

 

[dairyfloss]

I tend to register on Smartraveller when we go away overseas on holidays or personal travel, but not so much when traveling on business.

This is in part because I know that my movements where on company business are traceable through our travel management company's tools (which now also alert the company's crisis management function in the event of an incident that could impact certain itineraries)... but also because my business plans change significantly more than personal plans, and I don't want to have to deal with re-entry.

Absolutely agree with suggestions that an itinerary import or some way to export finished itineraries from TripIt / TripCase / WorldMate etc. would make this much easier. They'd also need to add some form of edit option, or at least I don't recall that being available.

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

No. Never.

 

[clazman]

No. Never.

Is there a reason why?

 

[PLANT]

I have not but I leave travel insurance info with family.... Issue then they or I contact private travel insurance company and sure they will act quicker than the government in getting me out of trouble?
No????

 

[Revolio]

I always do

ditto. appropriate Aussie behaviour.

 

[ajd]

I usually register - forgot to on my last trip (earlier this month), but I've been fairly consistent about it on previous trips. Agreed that the interface is a pain - the whole system really needs a complete revamp. Would be nice if you could import a PNR, and being able to change trip details after initial submission.

Obviously it's helpful in the case of a natural disaster or civil emergency where people need to be tracked down or evacuated. As unlikely as that is, past incidents have shown that the Australian government is generally pretty good at dealing with consular emergencies (think the Lebanon evacuation in 2006, for example).

 

[Pablo]

I have not but I leave travel insurance info with family.... Issue then they or I contact private travel insurance company and sure they will act quicker than the government in getting me out of trouble?
No????

I don't believe family are quicker than the Government. Family only know as much as the media are reporting, whereas the Consulate know a lot more, including intelligence that the public may not know. If there's a major disaster and all communication is cut off, family can't contact you and will often try and contact the Government to find out if you are alive/safe etc. DFAT prepare for situations where they need to respond as quickly as they can, so I think it's worth it as a backup in case things go really wrong.

My understanding is that if there is a terriorist attack (ie, Bombing) phone networks are shut down to prevent bombs being detonated by mobile signal, and I believe that the consulates would have better information to inform people of what's happening as soon as systems come back up again.

 

[OATEK]

We generally register for our trips. I was in the UK during the IRA bombing campaign in the 80s, and was traveling in southern UK when the great storm hit in 1987. We developed a view that it does no harm to let the Government know when we are off when we saw how difficult it can be for people to get in touch during a crisis.