Electronic Travel Authorization Required for Your Upcoming Trip to the U.S.

[Smackbum]

Sounds innocuous enough, and the email from Continental goes on to give details of the real ETSA site not the ripoff sites that charge money for this free service. My concern is that I have no travel details booked, but I had recently priced some options with AA and Continental for internal USA flights.

Is this a clever marketing ploy to put the idea in your mind that you will book with Continental, or is this just a bit too creepy and Big Brotherish? I'm leaning towards the latter.

Has anyone else had unsolicited email from Continental like this?

 

[Blackadder]

I guess they are assuming you will book the trip, and giving you the ETA to fill in.
I know in the case of Qantas, this doesn't come until the booking is made (and paid for in full?)

 

[serfty]

Not, me but I do not believe I'm on on any CO mailing list.

A Printout of your ESTA is essential when checking in for flights to the USA these days.

 

[flyingzzzds]

I got the same email and haven't even been looking at USA flights with Continental. In fact I haven't been searching anything with them.

I assumed it had been sent to all International members.

 

[drron]

Dont think it is a ploy or Big Brother.I have received similiar emails from AA but then i am an Aadvantage member.Pretty typical response by larger American corporations.

 

[Cyclogenesis]

You can change your arrival flight details once you have had your ESTA approved... furthermore your ESTA is good for 2 years as long as none of the answers to your questions changes... just log on with your id and you can change the arrival flights

 

[flyingzzzds]

Just received another email from Continental:

[FONT=&quot]"You recently received an e-mail regarding the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) that was sent to you in error. We want to make sure that you know your contact information has not been affected and that you were not intended to receive that e-mail.

If you do plan on traveling to the U.S. in the future, you can apply for an ESTA at any time before you travel, and the application is valid for two years provided there are no changes to your travel documentation and/or your answers to the questions in your original application.

We are sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused and look forward to seeing you on board soon."

Well it did gets us talking about them
[/FONT]

 

[Smackbum]

Mystery solved.

Dear Smackbum,

You recently received an e-mail regarding the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) that was sent to you in error. We want to make sure that you know your contact information has not been affected and that you were not intended to receive that e-mail.

If you do plan on traveling to the U.S. in the future, you can apply for an ESTA at any time before you travel, and the application is valid for two years provided there are no changes to your travel documentation and/or your answers to the questions in your original application.

We are sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused and look forward to seeing you on board soon.

Not quite a "You got gold" moment, but I wonder who handles their mailouts.

 

[serfty]

You can change your arrival flight details once you have had your ESTA approved... furthermore your ESTA is good for 2 years as long as none of the answers to your questions changes... just log on with your id and you can change the arrival flights

To be specific, you can update:

• your address while in the United States,
• flight information,
• email address, and
• phone number.

 

[Bundy Bear]

Interesting piece of news.

Visitors to US to pay at least $10 fee for ESTA

Visitors to the US will have to pay a fee of at least $10 following the passing of the Travel Promotion Act by the US Senate.
The act, which is expected to become law within 10 days, means travellers will have to pay to complete the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation form before travelling.
It is thought the charge could be as much as $17, taking into account the cost of setting up the transactional website and credit card fees.
​

Now can I register now; I was in the US Nov 2008 so my 2 years is up this year. Can I register now to avoid paying the $10.00 fee.

 

[Mal]

Now can I register now; I was in the US Nov 2008 so my 2 years is up this year. Can I register now to avoid paying the $10.00 fee.

You can register at any time (even without travel planned) as all that is required is your personal details. But the question will be whether changes later will be free or not ...

-- edit, Not sure how it will work for you seeing you still have 6-odd months left. Just try it!

 

[Mal]

I decided to put my skeleton details into an ESTA application just in case I want to travel to the U.S soon (Quite likely in the next 2 years!), and don't want to pay the $US10 ... assuming the charge does come into play.

There's nothing in the application that the U.S doesn't already know about me (except that I'm living in the UK). One thing of note is that it appears you can't later change your country of residence unless you re-apply for a new ESTA which may cause issues for me if/when I move back to Oz.