You know how the airlines are. We Colleys surely use them all the time, but they sometimes seem to be about the least user-friendly business in all of the modern industrial world. Your flight can be delayed a whole day or even canceled and the financial burden is often partly, or even totally on you.
Thankfully, we have an advocate in Bible Land Passages and, this time, the airline surprise is only going to amount to a minor schedule change, which, in some ways, is even better.
Instead of leaving on a Monday from Nashville, we will be leaving late in the afternoon on the day before. We will all be able to worship wherever we choose in the Nashville area on that Sunday morning and then we will provide a time and place for us to all worship together on Sunday evening, likely in a room at one of the airports. That will be a great way to kick off our trip together, in praise to the One around Whom the entire trip revolves!
Another good thing is that we will get an entire extra night and touring day on the end of the trip, at no additional cost. We are truly sorry for any inconvenience, but the price was going to escalate tremendously from our original estimate if we departed as originally planned. I am praying that no one is really going to have any hardship making this work.
Of course, anyone can leave on Monday, as originally planned, and join the tour after arrival overseas, but you would have to make your own flight arrangements, as we could not justify raising the prices for the whole group by a large amount. The group will leave from Nashville on Sunday afternoon between five and six as the attached information details.
We have 20 more days before we open up the trip to members of the church who are not Diggers. We have 21 registered family members of Diggers so far and a few who are still getting paperwork in! Here are the full details, from Bible Land Passages, of the amended departure time! Praying it works for you. Again, I am very sorry for this change that is beyond my ability to “fix”.
Finally, I am also including his message about travel insurance. Thanks to all who are cooperating to make this happen!
Dear Bible Land Passages Participant,
We have finally received a guaranteed quote and flight itinerary from our travel agent and United
Airlines for the May 2019 tour and studies program to Israel. The good news is that the pricing will stay
the same, the somewhat bad news is that to secure that pricing we will have to depart a day earlier than
expected, on Sunday, May 12, at 5:31 PM from Nashville. This gives us an extra night in Israel and more
time for touring (all at the same price of $4,250), and we will still return to the US on Saturday May 25th
as originally planned. It is still possible to depart on the originally scheduled date, but you will have to
make your own flight arrangements, due to the fact that a reasonable group price for the advertised
dates could not be secured. Options are presented below.
I’m fearful that having to depart a day earlier will cause an issue for some of you, and for that I deeply
apologize, but the airlines have been wreaking havoc on pricing. We have never encountered this
before, but thankfully we have a good friend in Israel who is working with us to create the best possible
experience. If your schedule will ONLY allow you to depart on Monday, May 13, it is still possible for you
to participate. As we stated in our brochure and terms and conditions policy, the $4,250 was an
approximate price and not guaranteed until time of ticketing. Unfortunately, the airlines did not
guarantee pricing until 11 months prior to return dates. So here are our options.
1. Depart One Day Earlier on Sunday, May 12 at 5:31 PM (from Nashville).
New Dates: May 12-25
Advantages: Additional Night at the David Dead Sea Hotel Resort and an extra full day of touring.
Price remains the same as advertised including airfare: $4,250.00 (double occupancy)
Flight Schedule: Depart Nashville (BNA) United 337L on Sunday, May 12 at 5:31 PM
Arrive in Newark on Sunday, May 12 at 8:49 PM
Depart Newark United 90L on Sunday May 12 at 10:50 PM
Arrive in Tel Aviv (Ben Gurion) Monday May 13 at 4:20 PM
Depart Tel Aviv, United 91T on Friday May 24 at 11:10 PM
Arrive in Newark on Saturday, May 25 at 4:10 AM
Depart Newark, United 4043T on Saturday, May 25 at 6:05 AM
Arrive in Nashville (BNA) on Saturday May 25 at 7:36 AM
Flight Schedule (Same as above but copied directly from Airlines itinerary)
1 UA 337L 12MAY SU BNAEWR*HK28 531P 849P\
2 UA 90L 12MAY SU EWRTLV*HK28 1050P 420P\
3 UA 91T 24MAY FR TLVEWR*HK28 1110P 410A\
4 UA4043T 25MAY SA EWRBNA*HK28 605A 736A\
Land-Only Price: 3,150.00.
ALL airline arrangements are made by participant. Note: portage pricing to hotel will
apply if participant arrives after the main group and/or departs at a different time.
2. Depart on Original Date as Planned
Original Dates: May 13-25
Land-Only Price: $2,950 per person (double occupancy).
Flight Schedule: Secured, paid, and determined by you.
Land Portage to and from Airport if different from the main group:
Portage (May 14) from Ben Gurion Airport to David Dead Sea Hotel: Ranges from $50 per person to
$250 per person depending on the number in your group.
Portage (May 24) from Jerusalem to Ben Gurion Airport if different from main group will range from
$30 to $75 per person.
Disadvantages: Price overall will more than likely be more than the advertised price, and you could
possibly miss one or two days touring with the group (depending on your flight schedule).
Finally, we pray that this will not impede your plans to assemble for worship on the day of our departure
from Nashville. While most will have the opportunity to worship at a morning assembly in the area of
Nashville or beyond, we will also be providing an opportunity to worship later the same day when we
arrive in Newark. We are working on securing a private place to assemble during our brief layover at the
Newark airport.
Again, we deeply apologize for this change in the schedule. Circumstances surrounding this change are
completely out of our control but in the end we feel that we will actually end up receiving a better
overall experience with more to see and enjoy. We are very excited about the opportunity to grow and
learn as we walk together throughout the land of the Bible.
John W. Moore
Bible Land Passages
INSURANCE:
If participants wish to protect their travel investment against an unforeseen cancellation or a needed
emergency return flight home, it is recommended that they purchase a travel insurance policy. If a
participant desires to purchase such a policy, he/she should be aware that most insurance companies
will restrict certain coverage unless he/she submits for coverage within 14 days of registering for the
program.
Insurance Assistance: If participants need to purchase either medical or travel insurance, they should
refer to the list of providers below. Please note that BLP is not involved in securing travel insurance or
the medical insurance offered by these companies and is not under any contract with the companies
listed below.
Medjet Assist at www.medjetassist.com
Patriot International at www.imgblobal.com
Access America – 1-866-8073982 (http://accessamerica.com)
Insure My Trip – 1-800-487-4722 (http://insuremytrip.com)
Travel Guard – 1-800-826-4919 (http://travelguard.com)
Travelex – 1-800-504-7883 (http://travelexinsurance.com)
AAA – 1-800-463-8646 (http://aaa.com)
Brotherhood Mutual – 1800-333-3735 ext. 5680 (http://brotherhoodmutual.com)
