Unsurprisingly Wizz just sent an email back saying it was extraordinary circumstances. Of course they didn't provide any other detail and the pilot informed us during the flight the delay was because the aircraft hadn't arrived on time from a previous flight.

Is it time to submit it with ORD or should I try with them again?

Referring to this ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/main/?event=main.home2.show&lng=EN

I would try to get them to elaborate first. Then send it to mediation. In general the agency that is responsible for handling it is the agency for the arrival country (or in your case it’s only this one because Albania isn’t in the eu) so you have to go through these guys www.seguridadaerea.gob.es/en/ambitos/derechos-de-los-pasajeros/retrasos|https://www.seguridadaerea.gob.es/en/ambitos/derechos-de-los-pasajeros/retrasos

Kuala Lumpur airport - they check the luggage size and weight before you can get into the security line. Don’t remember if it’s just AirAsia or other airlines as well.
Lufthansa randomly checked some bags for size and weight at boarding- don’t remember which airport though

bestlifeonline.com/delta-united-american-slashing-flights-news/|https://bestlifeonline.com/delta-united-american-slashing-flights-news/

Semi-serious question:

_Note I posted in `flying` channel because there is no `trains` channel_

My colleagues told me they now have japantravel.navitime.com/en/area/jp/guide/NTJnews0604-en/|Shinkansen trains with Train Desks>.

This made me think, wouldn't it be cool if there is a circular line somewhere, with office desks in the train, and you just get on in the morning and start working. Your co-working office basically becomes a riding train. And at the end of the day you just get off again at your home 😄 .

It probably doesn't exist, but if it does, please share 😄 !

If you have a GA / unlimited travel card in e.g. Switzerland it’s pretty easy to do this - not with an explicit circular route, but the train system is really well designed so you could change maybe once or twice during the day and plan your own circle or back-forth route

Exactly what I was looking for, going to add this to my bucketlist 😄

idk if this question fits this channel but i was wondering how people keep all their travel (e.g., accommodations, flight schedule, recs, tours, etc.) organized? in your brain? excel? email?

Google Sheets for itinerary and Google Drive

Google calendar mostly, it has the added benefit of timezone clarity

I created a whatsapp group with myself and just send everything I’ll need for that trip there. Vaccines, flights, hotel/airbnb confirmation, any forms I need to enter the country, screenshots of my bank account just in case.

I like it there because I won’t need internet to access it if needed.

Notion!

Tripit might be what you're looking for.

An alternative to TripIt that I like is Tripsy on iOS. I usually also just stick flight details in either 1Password as a note or just in the Apple notes app

Notion is a good place to start

I keep trying to switch to Notion but am so reliant on Evernote, I find it hard. one of these days I'll put in the effort. but yeah, using a tool like this is fantastic. I do all my planning and organizing with it

anyone travelled with a (not full) 60L backpack as hand luggage? I lost my normal cabin suitcase recently and don’t really want to buy another one, and looks like the 60L can _just_ fit into the prescribed dimensions if I don’t overfill it, but still looks kinda big.

I travel constantly with a full 50L backpack as hand luggage and never had any issues, even when flying on airlines like Ryanair with whom you can only bring a tiny bag to fit under the seat.

They usually don't bother with backpacks, even when they're clearly much larger than the limit. Recently I even saw the guy in front of me be told his suitcase was too large and I, with an even larger backpack, thought that was the day I'd be caught and have to pay, and then I was waved right through.

Check-in online and go straight to the gate. At boarding, they'll be less willing to cause delays. They'll challenge people with fixed dimension suitcases, but backpacks are flexible, you could take stuff out until it fits, so they just don't bother, even with those that'd never really fit.

By now, I've done this so many times I could be caught a few times and still have saved money. It's one of those things, though, that only work for as long as not many people do it. If everyone starts doing this, airlines will react.

I use the ospery 55L packed to the brim with no problems (this is also two detachable bags)

I am applying for a Schengen visa and I have a friend in Europe who is sending an invitation letter. Does the invitation letter need to be signed by that person?

I think it depends on which country. I’ve gotten one from Switzerland that was signed (but scanned/emailed, not posted to SA), and then from Netherlands I think there was an official form from the municipality to template the invitation rather than just a letter, so then the form was also signed and scanned.

I use Notion and the TripIt app!

Also be last to board the plane, this doesn’t leave them with enough time to check your luggage in and charge you.

This is more of a general question, but what do you guys do to prepare for a situation where you're a tourist living long-term in another country, have all your stuff there, like your laptop/office, and then you travel to another country with just a carry-on, and when you try to return, you can't re-enter?

I have a friend who can access the apartment and take care of business and ship my stuff to me, but I'm worried about sending electronics (like my 2nd monitor), particularly my laptop. Not because I think it'll get stolen or lost, I'm just not sure if you're even allowed to ship such things. Context I'm a US citizen living in Mexico.

Thanks for the advice 🙏

It sounds very specific for a general question 😋 I've never heard of any issues shipping electronics like laptops. Either way, if you're not worried about it being lost or stolen, what exactly are you afraid of happening? As for the monitor, not sure about shipping fees between Mx and US, but for me it sometimes wasn't worth it to ship it, I'd just buy a new one instead.

i have so much stuff now that it would be a serious headache were i not let back in, but i wouldn't leave anything behind that would leave me unable to work or that is a must have. eg. i'm not leaving a primary laptop, i'd leave a secondary one if it was old.

Pelican cases?

Does anyone get that strange feeling in your ears (like they are a bit soar and they need to pop) after a long flight? Do ear buds help with that?

yes, it's pretty common, especially in planes that don't pressurize the cabins well. chewing gum often helps

Yawning, chewing gum, looking up and swallowing helps

The above works but you can prevent it with medical ear plugs. You can find those in most airport pharmacies and accessory stores.

Basically, you wear them when departing and before landing and they will prevent that "bubble" effect

Shipping anything from Mexico is wildly expensive, but you'll also get nailed on import taxes by wherever you're sending it to. Moving high-value electronics between countries is a complicated issue.

The good news is that with a US passport it's nearly impossible to be denied access to Mexico. And if for some reason you are rejected entry to Mexico, you can cross by land without a passport for about $20-30 USD tip to the Mexican immigration officials, then take a domestic flight wherever you're going within Mexico.

noice tnx!

Put your hands on your nose, close it and blow into your nose. That should clear the feeling.

Hey everyone,
Thinking about flying form Portugal to Bali. Dont want to spend the whole day/weekend travelling as I did before. I was thinking about splitting the trip by half and spend sometime in a country halfway there. Do you have any suggestions?

Turkish Airlines have a 3 day stop over option that’s free.

Tried it before, but wasn't super helpful 😕

Cyprus. Fantastic beaches, sun all year and nice food and wine.

How long do you want to stay? I’m in Goa right now and it’s quite nice but probably doesn’t make sense for a short stop.

was going to suggest turkish too, some other airlines have free stopovers too, although istanbul is my favorite city in the world to just walk and poke around in and i think you'll enjoy it more than many others. typically the free stopover city is going to be the major city on a flag carrying airline. i don't have a catalog of all of these but i think some others are doha for qatar airlines, muscat for oman air, etc.

Maybe Ethiopian and spend some days in Africa 😀

+1 for Istanbul.
Other options would be Dubai or Doha (Qatar) but Istanbul is by far more interesting city to spend the weekend.

I'm afraid of the taxes/fees and to a lesser extent, the time it may take to arrive.

Dubai is an eye opener if you haven’t been

Yeah Dubai is a good stopover. Lots to see and do, Same for Abu Dhabi. If you fly Emirates and call their agent on the phone they can arrange a stopover flight. That being said, for the price you pay for a ticket on Emirates, they should also offer you a gold-plated ticket, but during the pandemic their pricing was actually reasonable... now...

Thanks grinninggrinning

I can confirm that VietjetAir (in Hanoi) and ZIP Air (in Tokyo) weight luggage (for international flights, where you have to go to the counter to get your boarding pass)

Anyone have experience and/or advice flying with injectible medication? I’m referring to disposable pens for Trulicity, not actual syringes.

I need to take about a dozen on my next trip, and they need to go in hand luggage. I plan on taking a small cooler (approx. 10"x10"x5") but I’ll need to take them out of their packaging so they’ll all fit. Anyone anticipate that being an issue?

Shouldn't be a problem as long as the cooler is secure. I'd consider snagging some rubber bands or something just in case for the extra peace of mind.

Thanks, that’s a good idea, but I was more worried if I’d get any issues with TSA (or equivalent).

I assume it works by the same rules as epipens. As long as you pull one out to show the printed label and maybe have a copy of the prescription on hand they'll be fine with it.

I just had a check in agent offer to check my bag through to my final destination even though it was a self-transfer to a non-partner airline (Vietnam and Qatar). I needed to visit the transfer desk in Singapore but otherwise it was no problem. Never seen this before. Is this common practice?

Follow tsa on Instagram. Not only do they post really cute doggies, they also give advice about flying with medical items (among other things like breast milk)

I actually read their website, but it wasn’t super clear.

How did they even know about the transfer if it wasn't on the same booking? 🤔

hmm i have an ord-lhr-cai going right into a cai-amm-bkk-kul, both oneworld but separate pnr (ba and rj) - would be pretty nice if i can check in a bag all the way through and not have to deal with it...

wubrahtejadbbbeb They just asked if it was my final destination. Big props to vietnam airlines, they were splendid

i even left off the kul-kbv at the end and then a van ride down to koh lanta 😄

How long is this taking you? 🤮

it was designed this way because on the way out i'm doing a jordan/egypt trip and this includes a later return ticket of kul-bkk-amm-cai which i plan to just use as a regional shift for a future vacation/trip/hop to somewhere else in the area (athens?) - and was originally done because they were cheap business class tix.

the BA one started at like 1200 but by the time i was able to actually commit it went to 1800, the other ticket was 1100 though. eg. cairo to chicago and back to cairo was 1800 and the other ticket is cairo to kuala lumpr then back to cairo for 1100. i think the points alone i'll get on the latter will be worth 500 or more when i use them

Lol LHR-CAI-AMS is one hell of a routing

1200 for cai-lhr-ord, then later ord-lhr-cai

I didn't get weighed with Vietjet. Having said that, I will never fly them again. Got a discount, but it wasn't worth it.

I got weighed by vietjet recently in SGN

i tried alot of this and it barely ever seems effective

Old post but I have two gmail folders. One with next accommodation/flight/bus email in it. The other with future accomm/flight/bus/general booking emails in it.

Makes it super easy to find it when you’re in a rush in the airport. Whereas notion can be fidgety especially as it’s online only. I also screenshot them before going to the airport.

Then I just have my calendar for reminders.

if you want a stopover you generally need to pay for it. the exception are some hub cities of flag carrying airlines, eg. doha for qatar, muscat for oman air. turkish has more of a layover program, some others have that too (< 24h). you can also find points programs that may allow something like this, aeroplan (air canada) for example has cheap stopovers. eg. thepointsguy.com/guide/aeroplan-stopover-sweet-spot/

has anyone traveled with easyjet on internal schengen flights with an expired residence permit for a schengen country? the official advice from the dutch government website is to contact the airline to see if it will be a problem but easyjet says they cannot give any advice relating to travel documents

Did not fly with EasyJet, but I did fly with Ryanair.

In my experience flying between Portugal, Spain, and Germany was that no one even cares about your residence. No one checks your passport until literally the moment you are boarding the flight to just compare your ID name with the name on the ticket. They look at it for a split second, like on any other regular flight. Certainly not flipping thru pages looking for visas or anything like that.

In fact, locals fly with a driver's license as ID, not even showing their passports.

I’ve been on many flights (in Schengen) where they let you board without even checking the ID (amazing - I always figured that was a hard requirement).
If you don’t want to show your passport, show a local driver’s license when boarding. It’s as moltar says - no one cares.

Any good lounge access hacks? Now that crypto.com|crypto.com has cut their card from unlimited access to 4 a year I’m looking for alternatives. (EEA citizen/resident fwiw)

done it many times on an expired dutch permit, nobody checks it if you're traveling within shengen. they only question you when you enter/exit a schengen country. Even then I just show my passport instead of the residence permit

didn't know they had something like that. is there a list of "lounge key" lounges?

They’re moving over to priority pass. You can find the lounges at prioritypass.com|prioritypass.com

ah ok, am familiar with that one. 4 free PP entries (although i might use 4 in a day but could be ok with 4 in a year) with zero annual fee isn't so bad an offer

Yeah… I obviously shouldn’t be complaining, but I’d used 25 entries so far this year and was getting quite used to it 😉

Avoid Cebu Pacific at all costs.

After getting my flight postonoted 1 day after waiting 10h at airport I booked a return trip and this second flight was delayed 10 hours (2h before the flight).

From reports that I've seen online this is pretty common.

If you search for "clever layover" there is a cool site that helps you check for this

chase sapphire reserve card

Once they delayed my flight 3 days (each day, they delayed an extra day) which got me stuck in Hong Kong for 3 days and they refused to pay any costs lmao.