The U.S. Postal Service and the Hawaii Chapter of the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) are working together on a series of Saturday passport-application fairs in Honolulu throughout the month of September. ASTA says the postal service asked the Hawaii Chapter to be a partner in the fairs because of members' knowledge of travel requirements and because of its understanding of the value of working with a professional ASTA travel agent. The partnership was created to heighten awareness of the passport services available at Hawaii's 57 post offices, as well as the Dec. 31 changes in store for international travelers. According to ASTA, standard applications are no longer accepted by the Passport Agency and thus 70 percent of all new passport applications are processed at post offices. Tentative details of the Honolulu passport fairs are as follows. Saturday, September 9, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Airport Post Office. Saturday, September 16, noon to 3 p.m., Makiki Post Office. Saturday, September 23, noon to 3 p.m. at both the Waikiki and Kapalama post offices. Saturday, September 30, 9 a.m. to noon at the Downtown Post Office and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Waialae Post Office. Visit [www.travelsense.org/consumer/alerts.asp#whti] and [www.travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2225.html] for further information.
