niryuu/sni-each-converted huggingface dataset:
Using some BAEC Avios (the British Airways Executive Club "miles"), I have booked a flight with Malaysian Airlines, who are a OneWorld partner of British Airways (BA). The ticket was issued on BA (125) stock, for the Malaysian flight with a MH flight number. BA have given me a 6 character Amadeus reference, and a 5 character Malaysian reference for the flight.

If I try to use the BA Manage My Booking, with the Amadeus reference, I get the error "Sorry, we are unable to add bookings that do not contain any British Airways flights to your account.". This error might make sense, were it not for the fact that it happily lets me manage BA ticketed flights with Cathay Pacific and Qantas. Clearly there is more OneWorld ticketing integration on the BA wesbite than the person writing the error message knows... But apparently integration with Malaysian isn't one of the supported one.

Next up, I tried the Malaysian website, and tried to use their Manage My Booking with the 5 character reference I have. That gives the error "We are unable to process your booking online. Please contact our call center". 

Finally, I tried with the FinnAir website, as I know they are able to manage most OneWorld airline bookings, often even in cases when the ticketing or operating airline won't! FinnAir is able to show me the details of the flight, which is a good start, but sadly isn't able to let me select my seat.

Am I falling down the cracks between not fully integrated OneWorld ticketing systems here? Or is there another trick to let me manage such a booking online? (I've never had much luck with phoning Malaysian Airlines in the past is all....)

Output: How can I manage online a booking for a Malaysian Airlines flight issued by British Airways?
I am considering taking a trip to England this summer to check out a university. For money (and experience) purposes, I would prefer to travel alone. My plan is to fly on Primera Air from BOS to STN. According to Primera's site, I should be fine flying with them alone as a 17 year-old, but will entering the UK pose an issue? All I've found is a page on gov.uk that only seems to apply if you are applying for a visa, not if you are entering visa-free (as I would be from the US).

I do have friends in the UK that I would be staying with.

Output: Can a minor (17 years old) travel from the US to the UK unaccompanied?
We're planning to take a bus from Kraków to Zakopane (Poland) in June, with our 7-month old kid.
I've never been to Poland, but last year traveled several times by bus from the Baikal lake to Irkutsk (Russia) and would never like to do that kind of trip with a baby (drivers consistently went too fast for my taste). 

How is the ride, traffic, and general speed? Would we find a baby seat or would we need to bring our own?
I'm asking because we could alternatively take a (slightly slower) train. 

Output: Bus Kraków-Zakopane with a baby
I have been invited to a conference in USA. I am going to apply for a B1 visa. Unfortunately the invitation letter doesn't have a signature on it. Only the email id and the website is there. Would the letter be valid in this case?

Output: Is a signature mandatory for a B1 visa invitation letter?
At least in Vancouver Airport one has to spend a lot of time to get to the electronic customs declaration kiosks. This got me thinking - is it possible to fill out the paper based customs declaration (form E311) instead (saved up from a previous overland trip) instead of using the electronic version? One could then skip the first queue and directly stand in line for the immigration officers. 

If it matters, I'm a Canadian resident who is not a US/Canadian citizen.

Output: Can you fill the printed customs form to save time in Canadian airports?
I am planning to book an early morning flight from Reykjavik to Berlin via Wow air, its departure time is 6:10 am. 

How easy it is to reach Keflavik airport early, is it easy to get airport commute so early in morning? 

I can see all Wow air Europe flights depart almost at similar times, so airport will be crowded, any idea at what should one plan to reach airport?

Edit:

Correct above, its Keflavik airport not Reykjavik but its the main airport for International flights.

Update:

I booked Grayline pickup for 3am and it dropped me at airport by 3:50am. I had no problems and reached the boarding area well in time and even submitted my tax refund form.

Output: Catching early morning flight in Reykjavik
I've read the border between Thailand and Cambodia was difficult to cross for foreigners. 

What's the best way to cross that border for foreigners ? Is taking a flight mandatory or is there other solutions ? And what would be the cost of the crossing ?

EDIT : I was hoping there was some preferred path to go from Vietnam to Cambodia. Let's say I want to leave from Bangkok to go to Siem reap.

What is safe for me ? Something that does not look like this thread

What is cheap ? Everything will be cheaper than what I'm use to. I want to know the cheapest path that is relatively safe. Crossing the border illegally is obviously not an option.

Output: What is the cheapest and safest way from Thailand to Cambodia?
My flight plan (Return Ticket by Ryanair) will be


29 March - FCO to BRI (I will leave my luggage at FCO Luggage
Storage open from 6:30am to 11:30pm)
30 March BRI to FCO 18:40 to 19:45


As Luggage Counter closes at 11:30pm & my flight lands at 7:45pm, I will have total 3:45 hours to clear/pass the disembarking from plane walk/find & fetch luggage. From then on, I have a FCO-AMS KLM flight next day @ 3:30am 31 March.

Will I have enough time to get off from BRI-FCO Ryanair flight @ FCO Airport & fetch luggage from its Luggage Storage section? Does Ryanair have history of on-time arrivals?

Other details, if matter:


Visa- Schengen Type C Multi, Nationality Indian
I will leave Luggage at FCO because trip to BRI is a quick one, & Ryanair will charge this as this is 10+ Kg).
Current KLM Route : DEL-AMS-FCO, FCO-AMS-DEL


Edit:
Also, I am carrying my camera bag as carry-on, it is less than 10KG, but I have heard that if the Cabin fills up quickly, they ask the remaining passengers to check-in their carry-on luggage without any cost, at gate. As I will be carrying camera & lenses, can I refuse to accept their offer? On KLM flights, it usually fits under the seat.

Output: Bari BRI to Rome Fiumicino FCO Ryanair On Time Peformance - Is this doable?
I have read that many hostels have kitchens or kitchenettes where guests can cook. This is something I plan to do. However, it's not too clear to me what's provided. Do I need to bring my own cookware?

Output: Do hostels provide cookware?
A few days ago I wanted to buy Pegasus airline tickets because it was offering a 50% reduction on normal fares. I wanted a few tickets but couldn't even buy a single one. I tried different places with different networks but none worked. I even called my sister in New York to buy tickets for me and the result was again ineffective. 

This is not the first time I encountered this problem. I have faced similar issues with other budget airlines as well (Ryanair, AirAsia). All the time during the sale, the website page was unresponsive. Well I do understand it all happens because of airline biggest sale promotion. I have bought promotion tickets "buy 1 get 1" and "Up to 25% off" before, but never been able to buy anything from the biggest sales.

Is there any possibility or hack to buy an airline ticket in one of these sales?

Output: How to buy low cost airline tickets while airlines are offering big reductions
I have travelled with a laptop before with no problems (not recently), but for an upcoming trip I will, for the first time, be carrying a smartphone and a Kindle (not the Fire but the older e-ink type).  I've seen complaints on the net that airport scanners have damaged Kindles, and I can't find anything conclusive about smartphones.  I want to carry these items, not put them in checked baggage.

What should I do to ensure that all of my gadgets still work when I get through the checkpoint?  If any of them should not go through the X-ray machine, how do I accomplish that?  (Just ask them to hand-inspect?)

Output: How do I prevent damage to electronic devices at airport security?
I am planning a trip to northern Italy. I will start it with two days of Giro d'Italia in and around Genoa and then I will move on to Verona for a javascript conference. I was thinking that flying to Milan (from Sweden) would be the best option and then get around by train. However I just now realized that although Genoa is an hour or so from Milan by train - Verona is more like 4 hours and a stop in Bologna. 

Are there any obvious better way to do this than flying to Milan?

UPDATE: I had it wrong about train from Verona to Milan - it is also 1-2 hours. Still it is a bit cumbersome to travel like this.

Output: Airport options for trip to Genoa and Verona
I have an HTC A9s. I could not find it on the US page of the manufacturer so I went to the UK page.

According to the specs, it does have the US frequencies:

Network4

2G/2.5G - GSM/GPRS/EDGE:
850/900/1800/1900 MHz
3G UMTS (#UL):
850/900/1900/2100 MHz
4G LTE (#UHL):
FDD: Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8,12, 17, 28
TDD: Bands 38, 40
4G LTE (#UL):
FDD: Bands 1, 3, 7, 8, 20


Will I be able to use it in the US for calls and Internet?

Output: Using a European (GSM) cell phone in the US
In a few days, I will be traveling alone from London Heathrow to King's Cross station at about 1am via night bus. I have read a lot of conflicting information on the safety of night buses, and I have begun to alarm myself.

Is lugging a rather large suit case across most of London at 1 in the morning going to be a safety concern (i.e. is it worth shelling out a rather large sum of money for a taxi?), or should I be fine?  

Is there anything I should know or avoid doing?

Output: London night bus safety
I am going on holiday to India for 6 days and was wondering if anyone knew of any form of preventative medication which I would be able to acquire in order to try and stop some myself getting some of the local bugs.

Output: Tips on preventing illness whilst in India
Since I don't have any priority, I avoid using priority seats* on busses, trains etc. However I see that other people who have no priority are occasionally using those seats. I wonder if there is a general code or etiquette for it.

Should I continue to avoid using priority seats even if they are vacant?

* Some seats may be for disabled people.

Output: Can I use a priority seat if it is vacant?
Here's my situation: I'm a UK citizen. I have an H-1B visa to work in the US as of 1 August. I also have a valid ESTA.

I would like to go to the US in July for a holiday, immediately prior to beginning my work. The holiday would be at the other end of the country from my work.

I can't enter with the H-1B as I can only enter the US on that visa 10 days prior to starting work.

Specific question: Would it be possible to visit the US in early July on the VWP, visit Canada/Mexico for a few days in late July, and re-enter the US with my H-1B visa?

General question: Is it possible to visit the US on the VWP, leave briefly, and re-enter on a different status (e.g. H, F, J, K, etc), without ever returning to one's home country?

I have posted this in Travel rather than Expatriates because, although in my specific case I have an H-1B visa, my question is more generally about VWP and travel, and I believe that it is applicable to travellers with non-immigrant visas.

There's a similar question here, although that's about going to the US and before having the H-1B visa.

Output: Can I visit the USA as a VWP tourist immediately prior to entry on non-tourist visa?
Between Playa Del Carmen and Tulum, a "Colectivo" service runs up and down the main highway. These are vehicles you can flag down and pay a small fee to drop you off at some later point along the road.

I'm interested in using a Colective service to get to the Xel'ha lagoon/theme park. My question is how well does this work - our experience so far has been that some attractions are right off the highway, making colectivo ideal. Some are off the highway but with a transport service (like Xcaret theme park) and some are a considerable walk off the highway, which normally wouldn't be an issue - but is proving one in August heat and humidity to those accustomed to northerly climates.

So the question is how well does using the colectivo work for visitng this attraction - especially as Xel'ha appears to be located at/off a major road junction.

Output: How practical is it to take a Collectivo to Xel'Ha park?
Input: I have Russian citizenship, but I live in Europe and I have Schengen long-term residence permit(not permanent residence). I would like to go to France through UK London Stansted airport. I will be coming to London at 8 o'clock AM and I have flight from London to France at 10:50 AM. What I have read there is no airside in Stansted airport, so it means, that I will have to go to UK border control.

I have checked if I need visa to UK in government website and it is written here that I need. However, it is also written here, there is possibility to transit without visa if:


you arrive and depart by air(yes, I will travel by planes)
have a confirmed onward flight that leaves on the day you arrive or before midnight on the day after you arrive(yes, I have) 
have the correct documents for your destination (eg a visa for that country) (yes, I have visa to Schengen  zone)


And also I must have at least one point from the list in website:


Have a common format residence permit issued by an European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland (yes, I have)

Question: Do I need really transit visa to UK?

Output: Do I need transit visa to UK, if I have EEA residence permit?
I'm flying from Germany (DUS) to Trondheim (TRD). My flight will land at 22:40, and the last bus to the city of Trondheim will depart at 23:40. Is one hour enough to walk from the gate, collect luggage and walk to the bus terminal?

I am not familiar with the size / complexity of the Trondheim Værnes airport, hence I'm asking this question.

Output: Is it possible to get to the bus within one hour after landing on Værnes airport (TRD)
What's the cheapest way to get to Amherst, MA from either BDL or BOS airport? All shuttles from BDL to Amherst are around $55, which is the same price as that of Lyft. Peter Pan from Boston costs $45+5 but takes way more time. Are there any other options? Renting a car is not an option. I will be traveling alone and will not have any luggage. If flying to BDL, it is likely that I will arrive around 3 PM.

Output: Cheapest way to get to Amherst, MA from BDL or BOS
After reading UK Citizen flying to US, then Canada, then back to UK - How does this affect Visa Waiver Program? I am wondering: 


If you are in the US, travel to Canada and re-enter your VWP clock didn't reset. This is classic.
There are countries, in particular in Central America where a brief visit does count as a "reset".
So what happens if you go USA-Canada-reset country-Canada-USA? 


Output: Is it possible to reset the VWP time counter by visiting a third country after entering Canada from the US?
I will be visiting Portland on a business trip, and will be able to sightsee only at night. Is it safe to leave my hotel located downtown and walk around?

Output: Is it safe to walk around downtown Portland, Oregon (USA) at night?
Is it possible to get Mongolian currency (the Mongolian Tugrik) in Sydney, Australia?

I tried looking at Travelex, Australia post, and Westpac, and none of them seem to offer Mongolian currency.

A blog called No More Maps says that it's not possible to get Mongolian currency outside of Mongolia:


  Where to buy tughriks?
  
  In Mongolia of course. There is no way to buy them abroad. Neither
  there is a way to exchange them back while staying abroad. Here is the
  current rate for 1000 MNT.


Do I have to wait until I get to Mongolia to get Mongolian currency?

Output: Is it possible to get Mongolian currency in Sydney?
I plan to purchase a​ ​​Lufthansa return air ticket, from ​New Delhi, India, to Mexico City​ this May​​. The departing flight has a 5h 50m layover in Frankfurt and the returning flight has a 7h 10m layover in Munich. So, the itinerary is Delhi-Frankfurt-Mexico City and Mexico City-Munich-Delhi.

I have a Bangladeshi passport, with an Indian visa and a Mexican visa. I am planning to apply for a German transit visa (Category A).

I have read that I can't use this category of German visa if I have to pick up my baggage and/or have to check-in again at the transit airport. Will I be able to travel without trouble with these travel documents on this Lufthansa flight? That is, does Lufthansa provide adequate support at the ​departure/transit ​terminal to make sure that I ​don't need to leave the international transit area, stay air-side and don't need to pass through border control/immigration in transit?

And also, is it easier to get the ATV than the usual Schengen visas? I emailed the consulate and they replied that I don't need to submit any financial documents. Hence, I think it should be rather straightforward, right?

Thanks.

Output: Would a German transit visa serve my purpose?
I am a US passport holder (living in Canada) traveling from Canada to Ecuador with connections in the US via multiple airlines. I'm worried that some of my layovers might be a bit too tight. To help plan, I'm trying to find out when, where, and how many times I'll have to check luggage and have security checks.

This was all purchased on a single ticket through Cheap O Air.

Here's my itinerary: 

Edmonton, Canada (YEG) -> Las Vegas, USA (LAS) Airline: WestJet
Departure: 8:30 AM, Arrival: 10:30 AM

-Layover time: 1:48-

Las Vegas, USA -> Miami, USA (MIA) Airline: American Airlines
Departure: 12:18 PM, Arrival: 8:07 PM

-Layover time: 1:23-

Miami, USA -> Quito, Ecuador (UIO) Airline: LATAM Airlines
Departure: 9:30PM, Arrival: 12:45Am (next day)

Questions:

Will I have to baggage check for each airline? And does that mean I have to leave the gates for each check and do security each time? If not, where and when can I expect those things to happen?

Also, I did an online chat with a Cheap O Air representative, and the he assured me that I would only need to do baggage check and security at YEG and not at my connections in the US. That sounds too good to be true to be honest and I don't know if I believe him.

Output: Canada to South America with connections in US with multiple airlines, where will I do security/baggage check?
According to wikitravel, there should be bus routes close to the Giza Railway station of Cairo Metro Line 2. Quoting it: 


  any number of minibuses and buses go to the site (known as 'al-haram'
  in Arabic'); they include the green public 900 and 997 buses.


Any ideas? Where I can I find more info on the bus routes in Cario / Giza?

Output: Where can I find information about buses in Giza, Egypt?
I'm traveling to Iran and i need to bring my laptop. 

For western standards I do not have anything illegal on my hard drive but since I'm not familiar with the Sharia I'm a little bit paranoid.


Is it dangerous to have, for example, holiday pictures of girls in bikinis or similar on your laptop? Is it common that laptops get searched or am I just paranoid?
If that is dangerous, how should I proceed? I need to take my laptop with me. Should I encrypt everything? Given the fact that browsing the internet already caches maybe dangerous pictures and it is very hard to be sure that one has deleted all of them, how should I clean my laptop?


Output: Laptop/mobile device in countries with Sharia
Are there any theft insurance options available while travelling in India. I am an Indian as well and I am planning to travel throughout India for a couple of months. I will be carrying my camera, laptop and mobile phone which I do not want to lose. Even if they are stolen, I want to make sure that my losses are minimum.

Output: Theft insurance in India
Is there any day of the week and time when airfares are statistically the cheapest to buy?
I read this question, but does anyone know it specifically for Qantas?

Particularly, I'm searching for a flight from São Paulo (Brazil) to Auckland (New Zealand).

Output: When is the best day and time to buy tickets at Qantas?
There is 3 different Jordan pass and the only difference between them is the number of allowed entries in Petra.

However, I'd like to know if the entries must be on consecutive days ?

I tried to email the Jordan Ministry of Tourism but they never answered. I only found this discussion but I'd like a more reliable source.

Output: Should multiple entries in Petra be on conscutive days when buying a Jordan pass?
I am a 19 year old girl and my guy is 22. We live in the Middle East, and it's hard for us to get married here before I turn 21. We are planning on marrying outside the Middle East. 

What countries allow a legal marriage between non-residents, after a short waiting period or with no waiting period?

Output: Which countries allow tourists to get married without the long wait for the marriage licence?
I'm a UK citizen, and am going through the process of obtaining an H1-B visa for the USA.  There's a fair backlog at the moment so I have some free time on my hands and I'd like to visit the USA (to see friends and family, not to work).

If I have an H1-B application in progress, am I allowed to visit the USA on a visa waiver?

Output: Can I enter the USA as a visitor, while I wait for an H1-B visa?
It seems I will have a few hours to spend at the landside of Budapest airport. There seems to be a cafe Edit: http://www.bud.hu/english/passengers/shopping_and_gastronomy/restaurants/flocafe-8131.html but I can't find information whether it has power outlets. Although I have Priority Pass, all the lounges are airside and the only landside lounge I was able to find is part of a VIP package and as such it has a rather high price http://cavok.co.hu/pdf/pricelist.pdf and is not included in Priority Pass.

Output: Power at landside at Budapest airport?
I am filling in form IMM5257B for my father. 

There is section 7 Government Positions, where it mentioned as Have you ever held any government positions (such as civil servant, judge, police officer, mayor, member of parliament, hospital administrator)? Do not use abbreviations.

My father was in a government position, but not in any of the positions mentioned within the backets; he was in the government's agriculture deparment. 

I don't think I have to mention his agriculture department experiences in this section but, before submit his application, I just want to confirm.

Is Section 7 is only for civil servant, judge, police officer, mayor, member of parliament, hospital administrator or is it for any/all government positions?

Output: I need clarification of goverment positions question on the Canada visa application
Today I've received the following email from Air France in regards to my request for compensation under EU flight delay rules:


  We are really sorry to learn our flight AF379 delay on 15th August 2018 disrupted your travel plans. We understand that delays inconvenience our passengers, so we do all we can to limit them. However, we sometimes face extraordinary circumstances when Air Traffic Control delays a flight's departure or arrival. These Air Traffic Control delays are beyond our control.
  
  As you may be aware, compensation is laid down and paid in accordance with the EC regulation 261/2004. In line with this regulation - and our General Conditions of Carriage - I must respectfully decline your request for compensation on this occasion. I am sorry for any disappointment this may cause.


How can I verify if ATC is in fact the cause for the delay of my flight?

Output: How can I verify if an airline is telling the truth about the reason for the flight's delay, in the context of EU delay compensation?
Is it possible to buy (western quality) disposable nappies (diapers) in Costa Rica and/or Panama?

In Costa Rica we are planning to be in: La Fortuna, Monteverde, Montezuma, Manuel Antonio
In Panama: Boquete, Bocas del Torro, Panama City

Output: Nappies (diapers) and baby wipes in Panama and Costa Rica
My problem: I recently booked a business trip about three months out, noticing slightly too late that there's a huge event (Formula 1 race) happening in town the previous weekend and all the remotely convenient and/or comfortable hotels are asking crazy rates (US$500+).

The usual rule of thumb of booking flights and hotels is the earlier the better, since prices usually go up but rarely come down.  In this case, though, I have a sneaky suspicion that hotels may be demanding too much and there may be a fire sale of unsold inventory right before the event.

So: Do hotel prices generally go down right before big events? Bonus points for answers with data instead of just speculation.

(Note: this question has been edited, as I'm more interested in the general question above than the specifics of my situation.)

Interim answer 1: I've followed simbabque's answer and booked a mildly inconvenient and mildly crappy but fully cancellable and not crazy expensive hotel to cover my ass, and will check & report back on the hotel situation before arrival.

Interim answer 2: Idly poking around, I noticed that a big chain hotel near the office that had previously been 100% full had a room free for all three nights at our normal corporate rate (~US$120).  Booked!  But I'll still check before arrival and report back for science.

Very overdue final update: I didn't do a very thorough check because work, but a casual browse on Google Hotels did show a bunch of hotels offering rooms at less stratospheric prices (under $300). YMMV.

Output: When should I book my hotel if prices are inflated due to a major event?
I've heard conflicting news stories and hearsay regarding the topic: Can I take a laptop (and also a digital SLR camera with a lithium rechargeable battery) as carry-on luggage on a flight from mainland Europe to the US? Is this policy expected to change in the next few weeks?

Output: Are laptops currently allowed in carry-on luggage from Europe to the US?
I am a UK national and I am travelling to Indonesia for 35 days. Can I get a visa on arrival and then extend it for the required days?

I am reading conflicting information on sites. Some say that visas that are obtained on arrival cannot be extended. Others say it is fine. Not sure what to trust.

I don't have lots of time before I leave (13th of May) so will I have time to apply for one online?

UPDATE AFTER MY TRIP: 

Here is the process that we went through whilst in Bali.


When you land, before you get your luggage you will have to pass through Immigration. There will most likely be a massive queue for the FREE 30 Day Visa - you don't want this one - you want to pay for a 30 day visa so that you can extend it later. There will be little desks at which you can pay for it. The price is about $35. They give you a little piece of paper that says Visa on it and they point you to the immigration desk. A member of staff there will question your stay (standard procedure: where yourt hotel is, what you are doing here etc...). They will stamp your passport and let you though. 
Two weeks into our stay we went to the Immigration Office located in Jimbaran. On your first day there you will need to bring with you the following:


  2 copies of the ID page in your passport
  
  2 copies of the visa page in your passport
  
  Your passport
  
  Confirmations of hotels/flights (not 100% neccessary but good to have)


At the desk you first see, ask for a Visa Extension form. Fill it out.

There is a machine which hands out tickets. Ask a member of staff which button to press as the tickets vary depending on what you're there for and most of the options are coded with abbreviations that no-one understands.

You get your ticket and wait to be called up. They will take your documents and passport. They will then give you a day about A WEEK LATER to come back. KEEP THE DOCUMENTS GIVEN TO YOU SAFE! YOU ARE NOW PASSPORTLESS AND THIS PIECE OF PAPER IS ALL YOU GOT. 
You come back on the given date. On this day they will ask for payment (355,000 IDR) and they will take your photo and fingerprints. You once again need a ticket and so on... You will be given some documents which get passed around the different officials you will encounter and they get stamped a couple of times. You will once again be given a return date about a week later.
Final day. You come to collect your passport. You go to a little side window (ask a member of staff: just say you are here to collect your passport and they will point you in the right direction). You give the forms you have. They just tell you to sit down. At this point you just need to wait and carefully listen out for your name; they are prone to mispronunciations! They will give you your passport and in the visa page you will see a new stamp that says your stay is valid until a much later date. Done!


Here is blog post I found that explains a similar process

Output: Can I get my tourist visa on arrival at Indonesia and then extend it?
When taking shared ride vans in the United States are you expected to tip? If so, how much?

To be clear I'm talking about services where you are lumped along with 5-6 strangers in a van that then takes each passenger to their destination from the airport (or vica versa).

It's not quite a taxi (where I would tip) and it's not quite a bus (where I wouldn't tip), but occupies some sort of middle ground between the two.

Output: Tipping in shared ride vans
Is it acceptable to show up unannounced to a car rental shop and rent a car for ~5 days? Is it better to reserve in advance via a website?

I speak decent japanese and should be able to explain the situation and understand details.

General answers are prefered so the question can be of use to more people, but my particular situation is such:


Short delay (next day)
Greater Tokyo area


Output: In Japan, should rental cars be reserved in advance?
In the AAdvantage program, there are 3 statuses, Gold, Platinum and Platinum Executive. The Platinum has a "72-hour upgrade window". The Executive has a 100-hour window. I assume this refers to when you can sign up for an upgrade and essentially get in line for an unsold first class seat.

Do all these seats invariably go to Executive members, or do Platinum members have a chance at them? In other words, what I am thinking is that if there are dozens of Platinum members on a flight in economy and they all sign up for an upgrade, then there might a long list of Executive members in the line for just a handful of first class seats. But if there are not so many Executive members, then maybe Platinum members would have a shot at those seats.

What is the common experience?

Output: Probability of first-class upgrade with only Platinum status?
I was browsing London hotels on hotels.com and noticed that many, in the room information section, said they had "partially open bathrooms". This includes one where the room is described as en-suite. The site offers no definition. It seems to be a general hotel-site category, rather than something specific to these hotels.

What does this mean? Is the bathroom partially open because the door doesn't fit the doorway? 

Or is there a viewing gallery for spectators? 

Or is one wall missing? 



I'm aware of the unfortunate existence of "open concept bathrooms" or "open-plan bathrooms", where paying couples are made to hear, smell and (if they don't studiously look away) see each other doing things that humans were intended to do in private, described accurately here as "the ultimate hotel horror". Is this that?  



I've tried looking online but the results are inconclusive:


This tripadvisor question's answer completely misunderstands the question
One random person on Yahoo Answers says it's a bathroom with no door or a glass or what sounds like a "Wild West" style saloon door


Output: What is a "Partially open bathroom"?
I am a Spanish citizen, and next summer I will go on a cruise trip from Spain to France (only stopping in those countries). The organising company seems to be oriented to a USA public so they require the passport for the reservation/registration of the travel as well as the embarkation.

I asked them if I really needed the passport, given that my National ID lets me travel through all EU countries, and they replied that I do need to show my passport when I embark the ship.

Why do they require me to bring the passport?

UPDATE: after contacting the company a second time, they answered that the cruise line requires that I have my passport with me although this company is aware of my IDs grants

Output: Why do they require my passport to travel within the EU for a cruise ship?
I will be travelling to Hong Kong in a few months' time. I hold dual nationality and neither of my nationalities requires a visa to enter Hong Kong. During my trip, I will travel to Korea for a few days, before returning to Hong Kong to fly home.

Will I require a visa as I will have multiple entries within 3 months of first arriving in Hong Kong, or does visa-free entry allow me to come and go (as a tourist), effectively, as I please?

I'm guessing that using my two passports would be something they would spot instantly and lead to further questions?

Output: Hong Kong: Visa for Multiple Entries?
I was travelling out of Turkey the other day and was surprised that they have exit immigration (checking passports/visas on the way out). This introduces somewhat of a delay into the airport process, so it's helpful to know in advance whether it's going to happen when visiting a new country.

I'm from the UK, where we don't do this (well, we do, but it's only very recently introduced, and electronic, so is mostly transparent for air travel). In the US, I believe exit records are electronic also. Schengen countries have exit immigration when leaving Schengen but it is mostly incidental/very quick for EU citizens.

Is there any comprehensive or consistent way to know if a country is going to have exit immigration before you get to the airport in order to factor that into your timings?

Note: I am mostly focused on airport travel here, although a more general answer could be helpful.

Output: Is there any way to easily check in advance if a country has exit immigration at the airport?
Travelling to Las Vegas with my two kids (1.5 years and 5 years old) in September. Can we see people roaming around in Vegas roads during night times with their kids? In almost all the pictures and videos I could only see adults roaming with drinking and laughing. All adult activities. I really want to show my wife casinos in Vegas before going back to my country. 

Output: Where can I leave my kids to visit Las Vegas casinos?
My friend had a booking with Alitalia from London to Tokyo involving (due to pricing) a Milan-London leg on the return that he's not going to use.

I know the taxes for the unused leg (GBP 22) can be refunded on request, but what about the "additional charges" (GBP 34.20)?

He has completed all legs that he was supposed to use.

Below is a screenshot of the price for the unused leg



Output: Can you get a refund of "additional charges" in addition to taxes?
I am moving to Poland this summer and would like to take my two HEPA air filters with me (it really helps with my breathing, especially when the air is so polluted in the region). However, they are rated for 120V at 60Hz while the only reasonably priced transformers change the voltage to ~120V, 50Hz. I am not sure what else to do because I have have severe breathing issues and even my skin reacts to something there (hard to figure out what this is). A 50 to 60Hz transformer would be more expensive than ordering a new filter from the UK (I can't seem to find these filters anywhere in Europe except on amazon.co.uk), which I would like to avoid doing. 


  Will a ~50W motor (120V, 60Hz) accept 120V, 50Hz power without issue, especially since this is in a fan, which ought to keep it cool? 


Output: Can a 60Hz fan motor run on 50Hz?
When travelling from the US to an EU country, and involuntarily denied boarding, there are two different entities that could regulate the compensation:


The US Department of Transportation has rules based on hours delayed and percentage of the ticket.
The EU has rules based on kilometers traveled. In addition, it includes hotel costs and meals.


Which one of these rules would apply?

Output: Bumped on transatlantic flight - compensation rules?
I've been looking for some 20 minutes now and can't find any pertinent information. Where can I find the official school holiday calendar for Japan, 2013?

Output: Where can I find the official school holiday schedule for Japan?
When withdrawing money from a Japan Post ATM using a card (which can act as either a credit card and or an ATM card) from Westpac, the withdrawal is from my credit card account, and I get charged a "cash advance fee"

131313   CASH ADVANCE                              1000.00
         xxxxxx/JAPANPOST BANK( TOKYO JP
         xxx,xxx JPY
              xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

131313   FOREIGN TRANSACTION FEE                     30.00


131313   CASH ADVANCE FEE - ATM                      20.00


What's meant by "Cash advance fee - ATM"? Is it a fee charged by the ATM I'm withdrawing from? How can I minimize it?

Output: How do I minimize cash advance fees when withdrawing from a foreign ATM?
I am non-EU family member married to a Romanian citizen. I am currently residing in Romania and I have temporary residence card here. As Romania is in EU but not in Schengen area, can we travel together visa-free within EU and Schengen countries ?

Output: Non-EU family member traveling to Schengen countries?
I am flying on a flight from London - Schiphol (AMS) soon and then outbound to Moscow. 

My layover time is around 3 hours. In this time I would like to wander around the airport, look at the shops and hopefully have something to eat.

Last time though, when I flew the same route, I was stuck in the connecting flight lounge and couldn't look around without re-entering the airport. 

So my question is will I be put in the connecting flight lounge again or will I be able to wander around?

And if I am put in the connecting flight lounge is there any point for me to re-Enter the airport? 

Output: Wander around airport connecting flight Schiphol
In the Chinese visa form it says


  Applicants who were born in Turkey or who have travelled to Turkey must provide an original personal letter. This letter should state the detailed reasons for travel to Turkey and specify the exact date(s) of entry, exit, and duration of the stay(s). Additionally, a photocopy of the Turkey visa (if applicable) and all entry and exit stamps must be provided.


I'm curious why a Chinese visa needs a personal explanation about visits to Turkey.
Would visits to Turkey before China be a negative point when applying for a Chinese visa?


Output: Why does the Chinese visa form specifically ask about visits to Turkey?
I am planning to book a direct sleeper train from Innsbruck to Prague through České Dráhy/Czech Railways. The train page says: 


  Depart from Innsbruck Hbf 
  (Train name: EN 467 EN Night Jet /EN 463/S 1540) to Praha hl.


Why are there so many names of this train or am I wrong to assume that this is a direct train? The train name changes from Salzburg Hbf (dep. 3:50) to train no. EN 463 and from station Linz Hbf (dep. 6:35) to Train S 1540. 

Does this mean I would be required to change trains at Salzburg and at Linz? 

Output: Is the Innsbruck to Prague sleeper train really direct?
I went to the Italian consulate in Washington, DC today and they would not accept my visa application because they said my US visa stamp cannot expire less than 3 months after the end of my trip to Italy. Here's my relevant visa and trip info:


US visa stamp expires on 16 Dec 2015
I-797 valid until 3 Mar 2017
Trip to Italy is from 15 Oct to 25 Oct 2015


Is it true that my visa stamp needs to be valid for 3 months after my trip, even though I can legally stay in the US until 2017? Does anyone have any suggestions for getting a Schengen visa in my situation?

Output: Schengen visa application rejected because my US visa stamp expires in December. What are my options?
My family and I are flying to New Zealand (AKL) from the USA (LAX) in just over a week.  We booked 7 seats (in a single booking), but when I check the American Airlines website it says we don't have seats assigned, and recommends I select seats.  The 7 of us are Mum and Dad (my wife and I), 4 kids (16, 14, 13, 5 years old), and our friend.

When I go to select seats there is only two areas that have a block of enough open seats for 7 people to at least sit close together, however more than half of these seats cost (approx $86-$120 USD each).

Now we don't care where on the plane we sit, we just want to sit together as a family, but can't afford to pay another ~$500 USD to select specific seats.

Are we likely to be seated together anyway if we check-in together?  Or are we just going to get random open seats?

Our flight back is on United and we were able to select seats together on the United website without incurring any extra charge.

Here is a screenshot of some of the available seats, to show what we've got to work with currently.



Output: How to seat family of seven together on long-haul flight?
I will be travelling from a small city to a hub airport to catch Etihad Airways flight to Abu Dhabi. Travel from the small city to the hub is by a local airline because Etihad doesn't land at the small city. The whole journey from start to finish is on a single ticket:


Local city - hub : local airline
hub - Abu Dhabi: Etihad Airways
All of these on a single ticket.


If my flight gets delayed at the small city due to weather and I miss my connection at the hub, does Etihad reschedule me free of charge or do I lose my ticket?

Output: What happens if local flight to a hub airport gets delayed and I have a connection at the hub airport
In September 2012, I travelled by speedboat from Gásluokta/Kjøpsvik to Vuodnabahta/Hellemobotn in Divtasvuona/Tysfjord, Norway.  One of the timetabled stops along the way is Tjierrekluokta/Nordbukta.  To my surprise, the boat at one point stopped seemingly in the middle of the fjord, in the pitch black darkness of a late September evening.  After half a minute or so, a small boat came rowing from the void, took one passenger and his luggage, and rowed back.  I asked other passengers, and they said that since there is no pier in Tjierrekluokta/Nordbukta, travellers have to do the last bit my themselves, rowing.

Well, this information was not at all reported in the timetable.  Fortunately the place where we were starting our hike (Vuodnabahta/Hellemobotn) did have a pier and we could simply get there.  Is there any resource from where I can tell whether I need to make special arrangements to reach a particular timetabled stop for a boat?  Or does the company operating the boats take care of this if people cannot arrange it by themselves?  Is the situation I describe rather unique, or does this more commonly occur in rural boat routes in Norway?

Output: Pierless ferry stops in Norway, might one have to arrange own transportation for the final meters?
I received my Iranian visa two days ago. My plan was to go there for a week, but unexpectedly I have an extra week available (due to an event in Turkey being cancelled just recently). Therefore I would like to extend my stay in Iran - to be precise enter the country before the date I put in my application. The itinerary would change a bit too.

Is this a problem? According to the date printed on it, my visa is valid for the entire period. Do I have to notify the embassy or the Police Department of Foreign Affairs or the party, I got my invitation from, about these changes?

What is the best way to handle the situation? I don't want to run into any problems, but I also don't want to miss the chance of spending some extra days there.

Output: Travel changes with an Iranian visa
I am looking to book 2 nights at the Hilton Milwaukee City Center - checking in Saturday July 27 and checking out Monday July 29.

When I try to book a 2 Double Bed room with the Advance Purchase option, it tells me that the night of July 27th will cost $212, and the night of July 28th will cost $183.

Out of curiosity, I changed the search for just one night - July 28th.  The Advance Purchase option tells me a 2 Double Bed room will cost only $122.

(I also tried a search for just the night of July 27th, but oddly it says no rooms are available. Why don't they want to make the room available to people who just want to book Saturday night?)

Why is it that a room on a particular date for a one-night stay costs a certain price, but when part of a multi-night stay it costs significantly more?

Output: Why would a hotel charge a higher rate when booking more than one night?
On November 28th, 2014, in Moscow, the airport Domodedovo, I had my valid ticket to the U.S. going through Moscow-Frankfurt => Frankfurt-Toronto => Toronto-Minneapolis, MN. I hold a F-1  U.S. visa, and am a citizen of Tajikistan. When I came to the check-in counter, handed my passport to the representatives to print me my boarding pass and check my luggage in, they told me I needed a transit visa transiting through Canada, not going through Germany, therefore they did not check me in nor gave me my boarding pass. I checked Canadian embassy whether I needed a transit visa it says YES. below is the snapshot:

 

Then I tried calling the Canadian consulate in Moscow but there wasn't anyone assisting visa questions. I tried calling the ticketing agency I purchased the ticket from but they weren't any helpful in rebooking different tickets using the same airline before my departure time. At the end I was forced to buy new tickets to fly to the U.S. My questions or was my ticketing agency supposed totl inform me via email to get a transit visa? Was it a legit reason for the representative at a check-in counter in Moscow not allowing me to use my ticket? Would I have a good reason to claim a report for some kind of refund saying the agency didn't inform me I needed a transit visa? Or is it always up to the travelers to know they need it? 

Thanks! I'm just a full-time student and spending extra $650 is just too much for just not knowing about this Canadian transit visa. 

Output: I wasn't allowed to travel internationally because of Transit Visa. Is it a legit reason for not using my tickets?
Looking at website of Guyanese Embassy in Brasilia, Brazil I'm not sure if they issue visas to foreigners:


  We advise that Brazilians do not need a tourism visa to get into Guyana (...) Fees: touristic visa - R$45,00 (...)


Since they mention that Brazilians don't need a touristic visa and yet publish its price, I understand they issue visas to foreigners. There's also a visa form in English available on their website.

On the other hand, according to Polish MFA (information available in Polish only)


  You can apply for a visa in Guyanese Embassy in Brussels or Caracas, Venezuela


My question is, as a citizen of Poland and resident of Brazil, can I get Guyanese visa in Brasilia, Brazil? 

Output: Can Polish citizens get a visa to Guyana in Brazil?
Is it possible to visit Old Goa (for a day trip) from one of the beach resorts? How long would a taxi drive take and how much would it cost? Or is it better to spend a night or two in Panaji, and then move to the beach?

Output: Is it possible to visit Old Goa from the beach resorts?