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Traveling To UK, Via Iceland Late February 2016: Universal Adapter/Carry On Luggage Questions (1 Viewer)

Tony Bensley

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This past Christmas, our Son surprised me with plans for a 5 day Father and Son trip to the UK, where my Father was born! Needless to say (But I will, anyway!), I was/am quite touched by this! :)

We leave for Toronto on Sunday February 19, and will be flying Icelandair to London, via Iceland.

As an Insulin Dependent Diabetic, I've been doing my homework, and otherwise making necessary preparations, such as a letter stamped by our GP outlining my necessary medications and sharps, all of which I'll need to bring in my carry on luggage, which leads to my first inquiry.

1. The checked in baggage allowance is limited to 22 lbs, with dimensions not exceeding 15.7 X 7.8 X 21.6 Inches. Unfortunately for me, any of my smaller suitcases either slightly exceed the limit in at least ONE of the dimensions, or comes very close to doing so. I should also mention that none of these are hard suitcases, but are of the expandable variety. I'm hoping to remedy this, but may not be able to purchase such within my self imposed $50 - 60 range, and may have to settle for the expandable variety, instead. My main question for HTF's more seasoned Air Travelers is do Airlines generally adhere strictly to such limits, as I've indicated above, or is there a bit of wriggle room, so to speak? I do assume the thickness is crucial, especially for putting the luggage under the seat in front of me, as I will want my Diabetes paraphernalia within easy reach at all times! It is absolutely CRITICAL that I DON'T lose my Carry On for failure to comply with Icelandair's regulations, in regards to what is acceptable for Carry On baggage!

2. My other question is regarding what we'll need in terms of a Universal Adapter. At this point, neither of us are planning to bring any Electronic devices apart from our HTC Androids, so I'm thinking a setup with the UK/Euro plugins with built in conversion, and a USB slot. Should conversion for up to 1600 watts be enough for the Androids and my Electric Shaver (I no longer do safety razors in my middle age, and don't wish to display a bloody face, LOL!), for instance?

While I have flown before, this will be my first time flying as an Insulin Dependent Diabetic, let alone crossing several time zones as one. The only other time I crossed the Atlantic Ocean was as a Non Diabetic 24 year old more than 28 years ago. I have discussed an Insulin adjustment plan with my Endocrinologist and a Diabetic Counselor, so I SHOULD be well prepared, in this respect! Nevertheless, any and all input is greatly appreciated! :)

CHEERS! :)
 

Mikael Soderholm

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While I haven't flown Icelandair, my experience with other airlines regarding carry on baggage is it varies and it can vary quite a lot, depending on where you sit, how crowded the plane is, the mood of the flight attendants, phases of the moon, etc ;)
My advice would be to contact Icelandair and explain the situation, and see what they say. I wouldn't worry about carry on not being hard, however, regardless of whether you put it in the overhead compartment or under the seat, it it is nowhere near the stress and rough handling that checked baggage gets, so a soft bag should do the trick.
 

nara

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As above. Call them and ask for guidance. Just for reasurance, ask for a follow up email that you can produce if you get any hassle.
 

Scott Merryfield

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While I haven't flown Icelandair, my experience with other airlines regarding carry on baggage is it varies and it can vary quite a lot, depending on where you sit, how crowded the plane is, the mood of the flight attendants, phases of the moon, etc ;)

That has been my experience, as well. You never know if or when airline rules (or TSA security rules) will or will not be enforced. It's just a giant spin of the roulette wheel. From what I understand, international flights are more strict, so I would certainly plan to fit within the guidelines.

For your medication, I would suggest packing that in a separate small bag that you place in your carry on. That way, just in case you run into a situation where the airline insists that you check your carry on, you will be able to remove your medication and take that on the plane with you. In other words, plan for the worst and hope for the best.
 

Winston T. Boogie

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My suggestion is to follow the carry on restrictions to the letter. I say this because they are fully within their rights to check your bag and not allow you to carry it on the plane if it does not meet the specifications. They can also not allow you on the flight and bump you to a different flight when you can meet their restrictions. You should have no problem finding a bag that will meet your needs in your price range. If it is critical to you then meet the restrictions with your bag. I should say this too, with the airline all they will do at check-in is look at the size of your carry-on bag and weigh it. Sometimes they just look at the bag's size and don't bother with weighing it. They don't really get involved with what is in it. It will be TSA when you go through the security check that will be concerned with what is in your bag. So, I would have at the ready for them anything required to get your important medicines or sharps through security.

I have flown Iceland Air to Europe several times. Great airline always had a good experience with them. Also the airport in Iceland is very small and easy to navigate so it is a fantastic place to change planes. You can enter the main terminal area where they have restaurants, shopping, and a nice bar (always important to me when travelling, ha!) and literally get back to your gate in a few minutes. So, that will make your trip somewhat easier because it is a relaxing experience at your change airport. It can be really stressful to have to race across a giant airport to get to your next boarding gate when changing planes when your plane has arrived behind schedule so you have little time to get to your next flight.

A big bonus of flying through Iceland is this seems to never happen there because the airport is small, so there are generally very few delays there and you tend to only be seconds from your next boarding gate. My wife loves flying Iceland Air. It may be the easiest international change airport on the planet (I say maybe because I have not been in them all.)

Here's another tip that they are now mostly enforcing or that they can...

Your passport needs to be valid at least 6 months beyond your departure date. If it is not they are within their rights not to allow you on the plane. Just a heads up on that.

On adapters, I've always just used the standard Euro adapter kits for my android or Iphone. I think I have the same kit purchased years ago...I think from AAA who at the time sold these kits at a discounted price. Also most hotels will provide adapters if you lose yours. Pretty common request.
 
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Tony Bensley

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My suggestion is to follow the carry on restrictions to the letter. I say this because they are fully within their rights to check your bag and not allow you to carry it on the plane if it does not meet the specifications. They can also not allow you on the flight and bump you to a different flight when you can meet their restrictions. You should have no problem finding a bag that will meet your needs in your price range. If it is critical to you then meet the restrictions with your bag. I should say this too, with the airline all they will do at check-in is look at the size of your carry-on bag and weigh it. Sometimes they just look at the bag's size and don't bother with weighing it. They don't really get involved with what is in it. It will be TSA when you go through the security check that will be concerned with what is in your bag. So, I would have at the ready for them anything required to get your important medicines or sharps through security.

I have flown Iceland Air to Europe several times. Great airline always had a good experience with them. Also the airport in Iceland is very small and easy to navigate so it is a fantastic place to change planes. You can enter the main terminal area where they have restaurants, shopping, and a nice bar (always important to me when travelling, ha!) and literally get back to your gate in a few minutes. So, that will make your trip somewhat easier because it is a relaxing experience at your change airport. It can be really stressful to have to race across a giant airport to get to your next boarding gate when changing planes when your plane has arrived behind schedule so you have little time to get to your next flight.

A big bonus of flying through Iceland is this seems to never happen there because the airport is small, so there are generally very few delays there and you tend to only be seconds from your next boarding gate. My wife loves flying Iceland Air. It may be the easiest international change airport on the planet (I say maybe because I have not been in them all.)

Here's another tip that they are now mostly enforcing or that they can...

Your passport needs to be valid at least 6 months beyond your departure date. If it is not they are within their rights not to allow you on the plane. Just a heads up on that.

On adapters, I've always just used the standard Euro adapter kits for my android or Iphone. I think I have the same kit purchased years ago...I think from AAA who at the time sold these kits at a discounted price. Also most hotels will provide adapters if you lose yours. Pretty common request.
Hi Reggie!

I wasn't aware of the 6 months validity regarding the passports. Both mine and our son's have 10 year terms, although his is about 4 - 5 years old. Mine is only 2 months old - The stories he and my wife had to concoct regarding "reasons" that I needed a passport now, are pretty amusing in hindsight! Chalk it up to "Gullible Dad Syndrome!" ;)

We'll be staying at Airbnbs while in the UK, so I'm not certain how equipped they might be regarding Universal Adapters. Nevertheless, I could have our son contact them and inquire about this. Thanks for the tip!

I'll definitely do the bag within the Carry on bag method for the Diabetic supplies as a precaution, as I normally like to keep them separated from everything else, anyway. My aim is to be as compartmentally organized as possible, especially for International Customs. Documentation for my required medication/sharps has been taken care of.

I really appreciate yours and everyone else's input! Thank you all very much! :)

CHEERS! :)

Tony
 

Tony Bensley

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Just a few tidbits I've picked up regarding Icelandair that might prove helpful:
- All seats are equipped with a Universal plugin setup, including USB. So, if any Electronic Devices need charging, and/or using during the flight, those options are readily available.
- All middle seats in Economy Class lack space beneath them. Passengers that end up with one of these will have no space for under the seat carry-on baggage! Being an Insulin Dependent Diabetic, this could prove to be a slight bummer, in my case, as it's the recommended space for keeping my Insulin! I may have to compromise with the keep the seat table lowered method, or something along that line?
- Complimentary meals are NOT available in Economy Class; although they can be ordered in flight, or preordered online ahead of time. However, some items, such as Coffee, Bottled Water and Juice (Great if experiencing a low blood sugar episode!) ARE complimentary. Economy Comfort and Business (Saga) Class both offer complimentary meals, with free alcohol for the latter.

More details can be found at http://www.icelandair.com/.

T-Minus 28 days until our 5:15 PM check-in at Toronto's Pearson International Airport! :)

CHEERS! :)
 
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DaveF

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FosPower All-In-One International Power Adapter, High Speed [3.1A] Dual USB Ports Travel Plug Charger (US UK EU AU) for iPhone, iPad, Smartphones, Tablets, Laptop - Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KC7I2GU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_O37HybWGGTNJX

When we traveled on a Mediterranean cruise in 2015, I bought this ac adapter for cheap assurance we could charge our devices.
 

Tony Bensley

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FosPower All-In-One International Power Adapter, High Speed [3.1A] Dual USB Ports Travel Plug Charger (US UK EU AU) for iPhone, iPad, Smartphones, Tablets, Laptop - Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KC7I2GU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_O37HybWGGTNJX

When we traveled on a Mediterranean cruise in 2015, I bought this ac adapter for cheap assurance we could charge our devices.
Thank you very much for the kind tip, Dave! I may order this as an addition to my Air Canada 1600 Watt Converter/Adaptor Plug Kit. As well, I plan to carry a Female USB/Male North American Plug Adaptor.

CHEERS! :) (T-Minus 25 Days!)
 

Tony Bensley

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This past Christmas, our Son surprised me with plans for a 5 day Father and Son trip to the UK, where my Father was born! Needless to say (But I will, anyway!), I was/am quite touched by this! :)

We leave for Toronto on Sunday February 19, and will be flying Icelandair to London, via Iceland.

As an Insulin Dependent Diabetic, I've been doing my homework, and otherwise making necessary preparations, such as a letter stamped by our GP outlining my necessary medications and sharps, all of which I'll need to bring in my carry on luggage, which leads to my first inquiry.

1. The checked in* baggage allowance is limited to 22 lbs, with dimensions not exceeding 15.7 X 7.8 X 21.6 Inches. Unfortunately for me, any of my smaller suitcases either slightly exceed the limit in at least ONE of the dimensions, or comes very close to doing so. I should also mention that none of these are hard suitcases, but are of the expandable variety. I'm hoping to remedy this, but may not be able to purchase such within my self imposed $50 - 60 range, and may have to settle for the expandable variety, instead. My main question for HTF's more seasoned Air Travelers is do Airlines generally adhere strictly to such limits, as I've indicated above, or is there a bit of wriggle room, so to speak? I do assume the thickness is crucial, especially for putting the luggage under the seat in front of me, as I will want my Diabetes paraphernalia within easy reach at all times! It is absolutely CRITICAL that I DON'T lose my Carry On for failure to comply with Icelandair's regulations, in regards to what is acceptable for Carry On baggage!

* That should have read as carry on baggage, NOT as checked in!

I was unable to find any hard shell suitcases that would meet Icelandair's maximum 7.8 inch depth requirement. Instead, I'm using an older, but still durable Targus case, which will house my carry on needs, including my diabetic supply & survival kit, and medical documentation for the Customs people.

The main remaining issue, in terms of luggage, is check in baggage. This past Friday, I purchased the following suitcase from Wal-Mart: http://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/canada-luggage-24-spinner-hardside-luggage/6000195382676

Our son and I agreed that we should get joint Canada/UK stickers as something to distinguish our luggage from the inevitable many other similar looking pieces. Unfortunately, these apparently won't adhere to the above suitcase's material. The bottom line is, I now cannot prepack until he comes up a week before our flight to shop for new suitcases.

At this point, I'm just looking for ideas that hopefully aren't too expensive. Ideally, I'd like to keep it in the same $60 CDN ballpark, although I realize that may not be possible. Also, are we correct in assuming that NO stickers will adhere to the type of surface for the above Canada suitcase?

CHEERS! :)
 
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Tony Bensley

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It's technically T Minus 15 days to our Father & Son UK Trip!

However, at the moment, it feels as though I'm suffering what could be interpreted as a significant setback! For the first time in a few years, I felt the need to go on antibiotics due to the near sudden untimely weekend appearance of a nasty cough! I've just began a 5 day regimen this evening, which hopefully will nip this annoying thing in the bud! This is just about the last thing I need right now! :(

Thankfully, most of my pre travel prepping has been done. However, due to an ongoing fungal issue underneath my right Big Toenail, I'm due to see a dermatologist this coming Wednesday, which is also the day that I take my last antibiotic pill. As it has taken my GP well over a year to set me up with this, it is not in my best interest to postpone this appointment, so hopefully, such action won't prove to be necessary!

If this comes off a bit as whining, you've got it right on the money! This is my typical response to getting sick, I'm afraid!
I will concede that I consider myself fortunate that I only had to wait in our local Hospital's Emergency Clinic for about 2 hours before leaving with my antibiotic prescription in hand, especially given that on weekends where I live, all of our local non Emergency Clinics (Which would have been more apropos, medically speaking!) are only available to those whose doctor belongs to a certain elite network. Needless to say, ours doesn't!:rolleyes:

CHEERS! ( I guess?)
 
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Tony Bensley

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Unable to sleep at the moment. My throat is a bit raw, but am not coughing, just now.

I'm feeling frustrated that I got nailed with this with only 2 weeks to our overseas trip. Between this, my wife's back issues, and our miserable landlords expecting us to move furniture so they can get their !@#$% mandated installation work done in time, it's feeling as though everything is against me doing this!

Sorry, it's just me whining and feeling slightly sorry for myself and my sorry circumstances at the moment!
 
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Tony Bensley

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Mentally, I'm feeling a bit better today.

Yes, my throat still feels raw, and the occasional coughing fit hurts like hell. However, after initially feeling downcast, I also realize that I'm doing pretty much everything that I can to hopefully nip this thing in the bud fairly quickly, and I did act early on this! Basically, I'm on a Water/Ricola (Sugar Free)/Listerine/Zithromicin (My one Antibiotic a day) regimen.

Everything else comes down to the fickle finger of fate! :P

T Minus 14 days!

CHEERS! :)
 

Tony Bensley

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I'm finally starting to feel a bit better after 4 days of my Water/Ricola (Sugar Free)/Listerine/Zithromicin regimen. While I've reduced my bottled water intake today (I must have had at least a dozen yesterday!), I decided to completely lay off the caffeine for today, at least.

As for the B.S. we're currently dealing with regarding our Rental unit, the less said, the better. Part of the problem is our city's vacancy rate is less than half of one percent, so it's very much a landlords market - "If you don't like it move" seems to be a pretty common line around these parts. Well, my wife and I DON'T like it, and if all goes well, we plan to get out of the north in the next 12 months, or so. Having to rearrange furniture in the midst of being ill really blows, especially when its something that you have virtually no say or control over!

But enough already! This is supposed to be a Travel Thread! On that note, Father and Son will be picking up their luggage at Wal-Mart this weekend! :)

CHEERS! :)
 

Scott Merryfield

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Glad to hear you are feeling better. Enjoy your trip, Tony.

From your original post, it sounds like you are just passing through Iceland and not spending any time there -- is that correct? If so, too bad, as I would love to hear about any adventures there. We are discussing a trip there with a couple of friends for this summer.
 

Tony Bensley

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Glad to hear you are feeling better. Enjoy your trip, Tony.

From your original post, it sounds like you are just passing through Iceland and not spending any time there -- is that correct? If so, too bad, as I would love to hear about any adventures there. We are discussing a trip there with a couple of friends for this summer.
While our Son and I both wish that we could spend a couple of days in Reykjavik, there just isn't enough time, as we're only going on a 5 day trip, for starters, and time in Norwich and London will already be short enough.

By the way, thank you very kindly for your well wishes, Scott! So long as my usual, slightly annoying intermittent lingering cough (Which may last for days or weeks - can't be helped, unfortunately!) doesn't develop into anything worse, everything should be fine. Our Family Doctor already warned me that going back on antibiotics at this point would render the cancellation of our trip necessary, thus I'm doing everything humanly possible (IE, Gargling with Listerine to hopefully kill any potential secondary bacterial infections!) to prevent this! As it happens, I will be going to his office tomorrow afternoon in order to pick up a complete list of my medications.

That aside, we won't be getting our hard case luggage until this Saturday. Therefore, I'm just going to have be content with fake packing an old alternate, but similarly sized piece of luggage, for the time being. Our Son has also decided against purchasing his USB battery pack, so we'll have to make due with my Air Canada Universal conversion kit, along with my two Dollar Store USB battery packs!

T Minus 6 Days!! :) :)

CHEERS! :)
 

Scott Merryfield

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Tony, did you check the weight of the hard sided luggage you are buying? With all the weight restrictions for checked luggage these days, we ended up buying the lightest soft sided suitcases we could find. Most airlines have a 50 lb. limit before you have to pay an extra charge, but Spirit Airlines (which we fly to Myrtle Beach a lot due to their direct flights and attractive flight times) sets their limit at only 40 lbs.
 

Tony Bensley

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Tony, did you check the weight of the hard sided luggage you are buying? With all the weight restrictions for checked luggage these days, we ended up buying the lightest soft sided suitcases we could find. Most airlines have a 50 lb. limit before you have to pay an extra charge, but Spirit Airlines (which we fly to Myrtle Beach a lot due to their direct flights and attractive flight times) sets their limit at only 40 lbs.
If I recall correctly, the weight of the hard shell luggage shouldn't be an issue. If anything, it felt lighter than the piece I had originally picked out. To be honest, it's not quite as sturdy as I'd prefer, but it's the only one we could find that has a large enough flat surface for our Canada/UK stickers to adhere to. In this case, compromise is the order of the day, and I find it still preferable to the soft casing. The luggage it's replacing has hard inner plastic pieces that are too prone to having little shards breaking off inside the suitcase. Having to remove these black shards from my packed clothing gets real old, which is another reason I wasn't terribly fond of using it for fake prepacking, but it's all I have to work with at present, as I'm not fond of last minute packing from scratch!

By the way, I have a question regarding my HTC Android device, which has developed one of those unfortunate "bulges" on the lower left side of the face plate. Would this be an issue on commercial flights, as our Son seems to think that it might be? Any definitive answer regarding this would especially be greatly appreciated!

CHEERS! :)
 

Scott Merryfield

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By the way, I have a question regarding my HTC Android device, which has developed one of those unfortunate "bulges" on the lower left side of the face plate. Would this be an issue on commercial flights, as our Son seems to think that it might be? Any definitive answer regarding this would especially be greatly appreciated!

CHEERS! :)

I would simply place your phone in your carry on luggage before going through airport security (you cannot take it through the body scanners anyway). No one will even give the phone a second look, as it will look like every other phone in the x-ray machine. Airport security has never physically inspected my phone, and we fly two to five times a year.
 

Tony Bensley

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I would simply place your phone in your carry on luggage before going through airport security (you cannot take it through the body scanners anyway). No one will even give the phone a second look, as it will look like every other phone in the x-ray machine. Airport security has never physically inspected my phone, and we fly two to five times a year.
According to a posting from October 2014, a then new rule regarding Electronic Devices having to be charged up before passing through Airport Security and/or boarding was in the process of being implemented, with the U.S. and the UK being the first 2 nations to implement this: http://travel.stackexchange.com/que...ring-a-broken-tablet-on-an-airplane-to-the-us

However, there's no mention of slightly damaged devices that are otherwise functional, including the ability to charge up.

CHEERS! :)
 

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