Travel to the states

RoryMac

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119505772#Comment_119505772

Check In & Pre Clearance

endofrainbow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119506092#Comment_119506092

I don't understand this as the airline has already checked your status.

Something that you heard or did you actually witness it?

Interesting101

Anyone travel to US with United recently .....Submitted my Covid certs online and they have been rejected....Being told I need to present these at airport ...So I cannot complete online check-in / get boarding cards before I go to airport.....Anyone heard of this ?

endofrainbow

Might just be an additional dox check.

Is this the API on United's website?

Interesting101

Well it's there travel app but you can't proceed to check-in using it unless that step is complete...just annoying...hopefully there are no issues

Just to clarify I was able to upload the docs and submit them for approval...then got a message 30mins later to say I didn't meet vaccine criteria....no idea why...full vaxd and boosted

endofrainbow

So many issues with the airline apps..maybe try a different browser?

Wishbone Ash

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119520080#Comment_119520080

I flew with Delta a few days ago. Was asked for proof of vaccination at Dublin but the girl didn't actually check my document. As I was getting it from my bag, she just said that fine and moved us along.

tea and coffee

Can I just clarify:

1 adults, 1 kid travelling

1 adult has 2 doses and "expired" cert (no booster).

1 kid is unvaccininated, so no cert.

Entry into US:

Adult to show cert. No negative test

Kid: nothing?

mel123

I really thought the US would have scrapped the requirements for vaccine entry by now. Is there any talk of them getting rid?

The Nal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119536467#Comment_119536467

No but they only require you have 2 shots now which is silly. Its been looked at every month but wouldnt say they'll drop it coming into winter.

Roxxers

do you need verify app or covid cert printed out or on phone ok ?

endofrainbow

you don't NEED Verifly it just means you can't check in online. You'll need to produce dox at airport.

gaillimh

Flying with Delta in a few weeks from Dublin.

is the advice typically to be there 3 hours before the flight? Will be travelling with hand luggage only.

cheers

endofrainbow

https://www.delta.com/us/en/check-in-security/check-in-time-requirements/international-check-in

Delta suggest 4 hours for Dublin departures but 3 hours should be sufficient.

redhill

Hi folks, flying with United Airlines to Newark Airport soon, would anyone know if they have an early check in or bag drop off the evening prior to departure? (For returning journey from Newark)

Struggling to see any relevant info online

thanks in advance

VG31

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119620743#Comment_119620743

No only EI offer that service.

Edit: misread your post, thought you meant at Dublin. If you can't find anything online they most likely don't do that.

endofrainbow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119620743#Comment_119620743

to the best of my knowledge it's 4 hours prior when the check in desks open. But a quick call to United would clarify.

downtheroad

I'm in Florida at the moment and the cost of living here seems insane. $5+ for a block of cheese, $7+ for a packet of ham. How are ordinary folk feeding themselves? A basket of food in a supermarket is easily hitting 50 quid.

The service charge / tip in restaurants is very different to what we're used to in Ireland. I had a 20% service charge the other night, and then a waitress expecting a tip. She did politely explain to me that the service charge goes to the kitchen, bus boy etc, and the waitress survives on tips. Why not just accumulate it though (which I have seen in other restaurants - where the recommended service charge is 18-22%). Basically expect to add 20%-25% on to the food bill. After 1 week here Dublin is starting to seem cheap!

Very hard to get used to the tipping culture, or at least know what is appropriate or who to tip.

There seems to be a huge amount of meaningless or unnecessary jobs here, e.g. 1 person to take a food order but another delivers it out to you. Or in a theme park I had 1 person scan my ticket and when I asked for a park map she told me that the lady behind her gives out the maps. At the supermarket its 1 person scanning your goods and somebody else putting them in a bag (also they could do with a plastic bag levy here with the amount of unnecessary bags they try to give out).

Petrol is insanely cheap though compared to Ireland.

The dollar to euro exchange rate is not helping of course. I can only imagine what the costs were like when a euro got you $1.50.

youcancallmeal

Just back from Boston myself, had a great time but one thing I won't miss is when paying by card/apple pay nearly every point of sale they turn the till around to you to select a tip ranging from 10-30% and a little no tip option down the bottom. I knew tipping was expected in restaurants and bars from past visits but I hadn't seen this kind of thing even in stores where interaction with staff is minimal, like I went into a clothes store to quickly buy a $10 pair of gloves and the woman at the till turns it around to me to select a tip option before I tap my card. After selecting no tip I get a frown as she hands the bag to me. It makes what should be a simple quick transaction unpleasant.

Another thing I hadn't seen before is the hotel we were staying in said that room servicing was done on request by ringing the front desk and asking for it, I would assume you are expected to leave a tip out for the maid. We didn't bother getting the room serviced as it was only a short stay but when you're spending $400 a night you'd expect room servicing without having to pay for it.

It seems they've taken it to the extreme now where any kind of service then you are expected to tip regardless.

crushproof

Echoing the above, just back from California and the tipping culture has gone absolutely mental.

A meal out they'd be expecting 20% - 30% and for a take out coffee the card machine would be automatically programmed for a 15-18% tip. I was fuming some nights in bars having to tip some of the worst and most grumpy bar staff I've ever come across. But it's just how it is there, honestly chuffed to get back home and get a coffee without any faff.

Supermarket prices as well are mind boggling too, we found Trader Joe's to the cheapest (found out its actually owned by Aldi) but even then we'd be paying $6 for a half decent bread.

Otherwise a fab trip, despite some initial concerns San Fran and LA were perfectly safe. Great scenery, great food and great people. A lot of homeless but as sad as it sounds you get used to it.

The Nal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119891545#Comment_119891545

Id heard there werrent as many homeless in San Fran compared to pre covid? Havent been in a few years but when I was there it was insane.

Nigel Fairservice

I was in Los Angeles recently. I had read about the homelessness problem there before I went but was still taken aback by the scale of it when I got there. Taking the LA subway was an eye opener. We saw one homeless guy fall on to the tracks. A lot of the homeless seemed to be mentally ill, lots of people talking to themselves and acting very strangely. People with bare feet black with the dirt and wearing only pants rooting through bins. There didn’t seem to be any services for these people from what I could see. I've never seen anything like it in a developed country. Having said that I never saw them bother anybody all the same. They didn't even seem to beg or ask people for money.

The tipping thing seems to have gone mad. Last time I was there I'm 2016 and don't remember it being so bad. Everyone has their hand out for every little thing.