145
votes
Accepted
Why can't I wash away soapy hands?
Soap is mostly a chemical called sodium stearate that is moderately soluble in water. In pure water it dissociates into positive sodium ions and negative stearate ions, and the negative stearate ions ...
- 766
95
votes
How can I avoid ordering multiple bottles of water at a restaurant?
In France it is required by law to provide tap water to a customer, for free. It is very common and acceptable to ask for tap water in a pitcher in a restaurant. Don't hesitate to ask for a refill.
- 841
94
votes
Accepted
Coronavirus affected co-passenger; what to do?
A cabin crewmember here.
This is different from airline to another, and country to another, but I can safely assume there are a lot of similarities when it comes to this, as most of the airlines get ...
- 96.5k
78
votes
Accepted
What happens if you have a medical emergency after deplaning but before passing passport control?
I worked in the A&E at Ashford hospital in Middlesex about 20 years ago. Ashford is a couple of miles from Heathrow, and all people requiring hospital assessment from Terminal 4 were brought to us....
- 1,173
72
votes
I am travelling with a medication that needs to be cool at all times, will the airline allow me to use the onboard chiller?
As part of a flight crew (I flew for middle east regional for the last 4 years with a B747), I am trained to help my passenger as best as I can. But I'm also trained to stay away from any possible ...
- 781
70
votes
Accepted
Is the tap water in France safe to drink?
Tap water (“eau du robinet”) is always safe to drink, unless you have a sign that says otherwise (“eau non potable” is the most common), which is often the case in public bathrooms for instance.
Note ...
- 70k
67
votes
Avoiding important carry-on luggage being taken away
The main reason for gate checking with delivery at aircraft is simple: It's a small plane and standard carry on sizes don't fit in the overhead. There isn't a whole lot the crew can do about it: if it ...
- 94.8k
64
votes
Accepted
I am travelling with a medication that needs to be cool at all times, will the airline allow me to use the onboard chiller?
It appears this is not possible for the Big Three US airlines. In fact, your assertion that "I know airplanes have" refrigerators on board seems to be not true in general.
United Airlines: "Our ...
- 37.4k
64
votes
Is flying 60 short flights per year harmful to health due to additional radiation?
It is usually not correct to talk about factors causing cancer. Factors increase the probability of getting cancer. The human mind does not deal well with very small and very large probabilities, we ...
- 36.4k
59
votes
Would I be allowed to get on a plane from the UK and fly to America with tea?
You'll certainly be allowed to get on a plane in the UK with the tea, but you'll have to declare it to Customs and may have it examined by an agricultural specialist, who will decide whether it is ...
- 86k
55
votes
Will TSA allow me to carry a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)/sleep apnea device?
I carried my Cpap device to/from USA with no problems. I contacted the airline in advance to enquire as I'd not done this before and - like you - I was unsure of the procedure. Without any hesitation ...
- 3,044
54
votes
Accepted
Traveling with medical equipment in checked baggage
First, if it fits in or as a carry-on and you can manage it, I highly recommend you keep it with you. Many airlines will offer a carry-on limit exemption for medical devices though you may have to ...
- 32.6k
51
votes
How can I avoid ordering multiple bottles of water at a restaurant?
In my experience, places where waiters may frown upon customers ordering tap water will happily accommodate you if you order a paid drink with it. Just order yourself an aperitif or a glass of cola / ...
- 10k
51
votes
Accepted
Why should you have travel insurance?
What you've described is the case for all insurance. If the expected value of the insurance policy for the average buyer costs more than the premium, the insurance company will eventualy go out of ...
- 86k
50
votes
Why should you have travel insurance?
"Why should you have travel insurance?" - because the insurance company makes money from it. That is their reason to offer it.
What is your reason to have insurances? If you have the need to cover ...
- 28.5k
47
votes
Is the tap water in France safe to drink?
In 2017 the "linternaute" did some tests on water quality in some big French cities. They wrote an article (in French) about it.
They also tested the water quality in Toulouse which seemed ...
- 1,889
47
votes
Accepted
Avoiding important carry-on luggage being taken away
There are multiple possible reasons for cabin luggage to be gate-checked.
The most common is that the aircraft is full and they know they won’t be able to store all hand luggage in the overhead ...
- 70k
46
votes
Accepted
Does an EU citizen need to get health insurance before flying to London?
No, as a European Union citizen you are covered by the European Health Insurance.
Just make sure you have your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).
- 3,864
44
votes
Accepted
Traveling to Japan from the USA avoiding air travel?
Travelling by cargo ship (mostly container but also bulk or ro-ro, never heard anything about travelling on a tanker, presumably for safety reasons) is totally a thing. More information and links to ...
- 104k
43
votes
Accepted
Why do countries check if arriving persons are vaccinated and not if they have antibodies?
Commercially available antibody tests are not intended to be used to determine vaccination status, aren't tested to be effective for that purpose, and are known to sometimes produce negative results ...
- 86k
41
votes
What happens if you have a medical emergency after deplaning but before passing passport control?
This is about the US rather than the UK, but here is a relevant article about the treatment at Stanford Hospital of passengers traveling on Asiana Airlines flight 214, which crashed just before the ...
- 10.5k
41
votes
Is it legal to take intoxicants at an airport or on an airplane?
If it's a prescribed drug and it's legal at both ends and all transit points of your trip, it's fine to take on board, just check Customs regulations beforehand and bring your prescription with you. ...
- 99.4k
40
votes
Accepted
I bought a flight ticket, but now I have a health issue which specifically forbids me to take flights. Can I get a full refund?
The conditions of carriage for your ticket do not include a provision for a refund in this case. Though there is a provision (3.2.1.3) to extend the validity of your tickets if you can't travel due to ...
- 86k
40
votes
Air travel with refrigerated insulin
Contact the airlines in question. You're not the first person with such needs, and they will have special procedures in place. Most likely it'll be something like you hand over the goods to them and ...
- 9,034
39
votes
Accepted
Is boiling tap water sufficient?
You can not see whether water needs boiling, filtering or other ways of cleaning.
Clear water can have a chemical contamination which you cannot get out with 'in house' cleaning methods.
Lead pipes do ...
- 58.8k
36
votes
Accepted
Getting a foreign prescription for a prescription drug filled in the US
First, it is unlikely that you will find any US pharmacy that is willing fill a foreign prescription. I would not count on it. (Apparently this depends on state rules, so you might want to google &...
- 26.2k
36
votes
Accepted
Is LifeStraw a silver bullet water purification solution for travelling in India?
No.
Physical filters using pores with 0.2 µm (microfiltration) cannot
remove heavy metal contamination (lead, mercury). This is possible with
ion exchangers, distillation and nanofilters (see below)....
- 16.6k
35
votes
Coronavirus affected co-passenger; what to do?
You are already being too paranoid for right now . Though this may change if Wuhan Corona virus becomes far more widespread.
Apart from the very small probability of coming into contact with a ...
- 475
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