Visa and Insurance (Units and IST) Do I need a Visa for Japan? If you are an EU passport holder you will not need a visa for Japan. If you have a passport from another country then you need to check online with the Japanese government (Website: http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/arrange/essential/visa.html). If you do need a visa for Japan you will need to make arrangements to gain one before we leave the UK and if you need additional information to complete the relevant forms please contact the UKC explaining what is required. We will be doing check of non EU passports in April 2015 and advising /reminding people they will need to obtain the necessary visas. Does the fee include insurance cover? Yes, This will be provided by Unity (Scout Insurance Services) and will provide cover from the time we leave the UK to when we return - further information and a copies of the insurance will be made available to everyone in the Spring 2015. This covers all Unit members, CMST, and IST on Options A and B for their whole trip and C and D for their ttime in Japan between 21st July until 12th August (or the 15th August if IST on an additional tour). If you are an IST organising your own travel and extending this travel to travel outside these dates either in Japan or elsewhere in the world you will need extra insurance. This insurance covers you for personal possessions, medical and repatriation costs and individual cancellation. This will cover you if you are unable to attend the Jamboree for reasons outside of your control. If you are planning to take expensive electrical items such as cameras or tablets, you should check the levels of cover on the policy to ensure they are adequate. We are unable to amend individual policies so you should consider covering high value items under your household insurance if they do not suffice. Passports and Names (Units and IST) I am known by a different name to the one on my passports does this matter? Yes. Your registration name in Eventsforce (the UKC database) must match your name on your passport exactly, as we are using this to issue your flight tickets and if doesn't match you won't be allowed to fly. If you wish to be known as something else during the Jamboree this can be entered into the Name on Jamboree ID card field Failure to make sure this information is correct may result in the airlines charging you personally additional fees to correct this or possibly restrict you from travelling. If you are a Unit Leader you need to ensure that all your unit members' details re correct as per their passports which is why we ask for scanned copies so they can be double checked. If you are changing your name for any reason then please ensure the name on the Eventsforce and the name on your passport match and then if you want to be known as your new name enter that into the Jamboree ID field as mentioned above Why does my passport need six months validity from our return date? Your passport must be valid till mid / late February 2016. The reason we ask is that we are booking flights via a number of different countries and some of these require six months validity. Therefore, if your passport runs out prior to February 2016 we have asked you to renew this by now. Please note you can transfer up to nine months from your old to your new passport. We would hate for anyone to be stopped at the airport and not able to attend the Jamboree.
I haven't uploaded my passport yet - do I need to do it? YES! the deadline for this has now long past and we are busy booking flights. You will not have flights booked for you if you do not provide a copy of your passport. For IST on options C&D (own travel) we strongly advise you to also add a copy of your passport in case you should lose yours. Flights (Units and IST) When will units find out their flight information and travel details? We intend to notify all units of their flight details and ground travel information in March/April 2015. I'm IST where do I see my flight details? Log in to Eventsforce and visit the UK Contingent IST/JPT Flight Details page by clicking Edit and Proceed through other pages. This will give you the most up to date details. (There are a few legs of some IST journeys where the data hasn't yet been uploaded as we are just waiting for the airline to confirm flight numbers etc). When will I get my actual ticket? All tickets will be E-tickets. IST will be emailed the information and also able to get it from Eventsforce in June 2015. Units will be provided the information at the same time direct to the UL Can I check in online beforehand? No. As we are travelling on group bookings we need you not to do this please. Even if you think/it appears your airline does allow check in online it has the potential to mess up the booking for everyone else, therefore please do not attempt it or you will have some very unhappy IST or fellow units! Can I pre book my seats? No, working with the airlines groups departments we intend to pre seat everyone before check in. However, you are welcome to view all the members of the UKC on the plane as new friends and this will be your first chance to chat to them. Will we be the only ones on the flight? No, although on some flights there will be lots of members of the UKC there will be general public on them too, so please remember that we are all representatives of The Scout Association and Girlguiding and please remember to behave accordingly. How will I be able to book special meals on the flight? We will take this information from Eventsforce based on what you have already submitted and pass this on to the airlines. Please note only specific dietary requirements will be forwarded, not likes/dislikes of food items. Can I book extra leg room? Not in advance. Any available extra leg room seats are allocated at check in on a first come first served basis. However those seats that are situated near an emergency exit carry certain conditions you must be fit and able to operate the emergency exit should the situation arise. Do I or my young people need a boarding pass to buy things airside? Yes - even a bottle of water they will so please remember to give everyone their own. However warm them to keep a tight hold of it as they will need to board the plane. If anyone was to lose theirs then speak to the airside staff to see what can be done. There is a risk that they may not be able to fly if they lose it.
What information do I need for the entry card when entering Japan? What address do I need to put on the card for where I am staying. We will provide everyone with this information nearer the time. Please note the port of embarkation on the entry card is the where you got the airport from originally in the UK Do I need any currency for the country I am changing planes in? If you want to buy anything in the airport you will need some way of paying for this but whether this is local currency or a card is up to you. There would normally be somewhere to change money if needed and most airports will accept US Dollars How much time do I need to leave to check in/ get to the airport? You need to be at the airport at least 3 hours before departure - we are large groups of people travelling on some of the busiest days of the year so please allow plenty of time for check in, and also for your journey to the airport. Better to spend time talking to other IST and Unit members than miss your flight. Who I contact if I miss my flight/connection? If you can help it don't. Depending on the reason for you missing your flight will determine whether it is covered by insurance, but if it could have been avoidable it may not be and you may have to pay for the change in flights. So please allow plenty of time to get to the airport and if you are worried you are going to fall asleep at your stopover before boarding the second plane make sure a friend/other IST is looking out for you. However if you do miss your flight you will be given a contact number for our UK Operations Centre so phone this and they will help. Luggage (Units and IST) How many bags and of what weight can I take on the plane? All members of the UKC can take one hold bag weighing a maximum of 20K and one carry-on bag. These are the UKC bags you will be issued with. We strongly advise you to add something to your bag to make it easy to recognise as there will be 4000 matching ones flying to Japan over the few days we are travelling. Each bag has a clear panel in which you can put a large label to identify your bag. Templates will be provided by the UKC nearer the time. IST members who are doing additional travelling before or after the Jamboree can make their own choice about which bags to use as for those travelling for along time or trekking they may prefer to use a different bag which is their choice. Remember it isn't just about weights for the flights but also all the internal transfers everyone is doing and carrying a bag in the heat in Japan. What can I pack in my hold luggage/hand luggage? In your hand luggage you can only pack permitted items under airline rules, which currently does affect the amount of liquids you can take. Your hold luggage must also adhere to current airline policies regarding does not include liquids over a certain size. Full information is available on the government website here: https://www.gov.uk/hand-luggage-restrictions/overview Please remember you are not able to take water through security at the airports so please do not fill the UKC water bottles as they may then be confiscated. It is better to keep them empty (or drink the water before getting to security) and then refill the other side if possible.
Can I bring my guitar/ Bag pipes? If you bring additional luggage it will depend on the airline whether they charge you /your unit for additional luggage. We cannot pre book this for you. What do I do if my bag goes missing? Speak to the airport staff initially and follow their advice about what to do. If you are positive that your bag has not arrived, and hasn't simply been picked up by another IST or unit member as we will have 4000 matching ones flying to Japan, then please contact the UKC operations centre. What happens to our hold luggage if we are changing planes Your hold luggage will be checked right through to your end destination so your bags get automatically transferred and you collect them in Japan at the airport. Travel in Japan (Units and IST) Will we be allocated particular seats on the trains in Japan? Yes - for the trains in Japan, you will be issued a seat number and that is where you will be seated. How will Units travel to and from HoHo? Each unit will have a individual travel plan according to where they need to get to and we will let UL know this as soon as we can. Information is being provided to us by the HoHo hosts and we are working with them and our ground agent to plan the best travel options we can. How will IST doing ISTokyo travel to the Jamboree site? You will all be going by bullet train from Tokyo to Hiroshima and then be collected from Hiroshima on Jamboree coaches for transfer to the site General (Units and IST) I'm a parent and was wondering if my child can stay in Japan after the Jamboree? Unfortunately this is not possible due to the group travel arrangements and insurance. Can units or IST on options A or B change their flight arrangements? Unfortunately not. We have spent a long time booking the flights for the contingent based on best availability at a very busy time of year and ensuring we create the best travel options for everyone concerned and these tickets are now being issued to individuals so can no longer be changed. Do I need to travel in Uniform? Yes, as members of the UK contingent we are expecting to travel in uniform, although obviously during the flights themselves you may prefer to change out of the uniform shirts.
Arrival in Japan (IST specific) What time are we arriving at the Jamboree if we pick options A, B or D? This will depend on your flight arrival times for option B or the transfer times for those on option A and D. We will be moving 880 IST from Tokyo to the Jamboree site via Hiroshama in one day so we will have staggered transfers and you will be told in Tokyo when to be where I'm IST what will happen when I arrive in Japan? If you are on option A - you will be transferred to the hotel the UKC are staying If you are on option B - you will be transferred from the airport to the Jamboree site If you are on options C or D we look forward to seeing you in Tokyo or at the Jamboree. I am IST on options C or D (own travel) how do I arrange my pick up from an entry point? You were asked to enter this information into Eventsforce in Feb 2015. We will have now passed this information on to Japan for them to arrange travel to and from the Jamboree Optional Tours (IST only) How do we pay the balance for our optional Tours? Travel Places/Winning Tours will be contacting everyone on optional tours in April to confirm more information and provide details of how to pay the balance of the tours by 15th May 2015 If I want to do the Mt Muji tour will I have to carry all my luggage with me? No, there will be a way of storing additional luggage/items you don't need during the climb. further details will be provided nearer the time Where will tours pick up and end? Pick up from Jamboree site or point of exit. end point if on our flights will be taken to airport. If own flights will end in hotel in tokyo unless want to go to airport at same time as us and there is a seat. Do I need a visa for Beijing or Dubai as I am on one of the optional tours? For Dubai, if you are a British citizen, you can get a 30 day visa on arrival. If you are not a British Citizen please check online to see whether you will also be able to gain one on entry or need to do advance. (You can check the Emirates website here) For Beijing you do and our travel company, Travel Places, who are operating your tour, will send further information direct to those IST going on this tour in April. You will then be responsible for securing this Visa. You can only apply 3 months before entering China. Who do I contact if I have questions, not answered in the FAQs? If it is about Unit travel contact the UKC on uk.contingent@scouts.org.uk If it is about IST travel options - A, B, C or D please contact the UKC IST team IST.Communications@scouts.org.uk If your question is about one of the IST optional tours - please contact the travel company Travel Places direct scouts@travelplaces.co.uk.
How do I contact the UKC after I've left the UK Use the contact details you will be given for the UKC Operations Centre. These will be added here also nearer the time. The UKC will have a 24 hour operations centre available to help support UKC members. If the query is not travel related, and relates to individual members please remember the home contact process, In Touch, is in place to support this in the first instance.