Traveller Letters: A slice of cake is not a meal, Qantas

Further to Julietta Jameson’s tips for drying your smalls while travelling, heated floors and wall panels work brilliantly in the colder climates, something we utilised time and time again on our recent Icelandic and Norwegian adventure.
Maree Harrison, Nerrina, Vic

No sense in cents

After receiving a second email from Qantas reminding me I had a refund due from a cancelled flight during the pandemic, I thought I had better ring and accept it. With great expectations I rang the number provided to claim, hopefully, enough for a flight somewhere (I didn’t even know I was owed any money). My call was answered promptly which in itself was amazing, and I was told I had a refund due – the grand sum of 82 cents. I advised them to either donate it to a charity or write it off.
Lynda Macalpine, Lane Cove, NSW

From SAS to suss

My sister and I had planned a trip to Europe but sadly our elderly mother was hospitalised with multiple fractures and we had to cancel our trip. The difference between a refund from Qantas and SAS (Scandinavian Airlines) was striking: the SAS website shows the exact amount of the refund before you cancel, then immediately sends an email showing the amount of the refund, how it was calculated, estimated time for it to be credited, and contact details if there is any issue. In contrast, Qantas tells you to check the fare rules that apply but they are nowhere to be seen on the electronic ticket. So you have no idea how much the refund is until it is credited weeks after cancellation.
Trish Perkins, Twin Waters, Qld

Sand? Who needs sand?

So many articles wax lyrical about the beach, when it’s the water that really counts. Beaches are just the access way to the glorious water in all its forms. Its clarity, its wave form or lack thereof. The sweet saltiness, the flora and fauna, or just the conversations with strangers as you bob about out of your depth, are what count.
Tim Schroder, Gordon, NSW

Spirits lifted

After reading your article (Traveller, February 17) we decided to book a tour in Napier, New Zealand, from the Art Deco Trust in one of their vintage Packard vehicles featured in the story. The website indicated that the tour was disappointingly not operating. On disembarking from our cruise ship, we enjoyed wandering around Napier and before returning to our ship we called into the Art Deco Trust shop.

A few of the drivers, dressed for the art deco era, were chatting and I told them how disappointed we were to miss the tour. They apologised and one driver, Paul, offered to return us to the ship in his car on his way home. Over 15 minutes we enjoyed the most comfortable chauffeured ride, his informative local knowledge, and a quick passage through customs, completing a great day.
Noel and Rosemarie Stonehouse, Camberwell, Vic

Trust fun

Like Lee Tulloch in her column, (Traveller, March 19), I also love visiting house museums and agree Villa Necchi Campiglio in Milan, Italy, is fabulous. I was able to gain free entry to the villa by being a member of the National Trust in NSW. The trust has reciprocal visiting arrangements with heritage organisations in other countries which are listed on their website.
Lisa Clarke, Watsons Bay, NSW

Direct response

The new Turkish Airlines service from Istanbul to Melbourne is, in fact, a direct flight (Traveller Letters, March 16). It’s a common mistake to confuse a direct flight and a non-stop flight as the same thing. They are not. A non-stop flight is what it states on the label it’s non-stop from A to B. A direct flight can have numerous stops as long as it has the same flight number. As an example, both British Airways and Qantas have direct flights from Sydney to London. Both flights stop in Singapore, but they are direct flights. It’s an important distinction, with many passengers and travel writers being caught out.
Chris Patten, Roseville, NSW

Battle lines

We should do more than spare a thought for the Cook Islands atoll where your correspondent found “pure paradise” (Traveller Letters, March 16). To describe it as “heaven on earth” sounds like privileged ignorance at best; just ask the locals who, like so many other Pacific Islanders, are fighting an existential battle for their lands, culture and way of life as sea levels rise. This is the message that should “sing to (your) soul” and spur all of us to action.
Kerrie Wehbe, Blacktown, NSW

Bad look

Further to the recent Traveller letters on airport security checks, do not take binoculars into Ethiopia. Ours were confiscated at the exit baggage security in Addis Ababa in 2023. Apparently, they are (still) deemed to be a security threat as someone used binoculars suspiciously around the airport precinct. They will be returned when you leave the country, but the process is stressful. It took an hour to have them logged and stored at the airport and even longer to retrieve, as it necessitated paying customs duties. Ironically, an American at our hotel, explained that he had arrived with a 450-millimetre lens in his baggage – way more powerful than our binoculars.
Alec Spiller, Mosman, NSW

Tip of the week: Blazing a trail

We’ve just returned on our first trip to New Zealand and I can’t recommend it enough. We travelled the South Island for two weeks on a perfect itinerary. Fly into Queenstown, cycle the Otago Rail Trail (three nights ).

E-bikes are a great option if you’re not as fit as you’d like to be. Then drive up the coast from Dunedin to Christchurch and Kaikoura, drop the car off in Picton and hike the Queen Charlotte Track (three or four nights) with luxurious accommodation and luggage transferred each day. Then catch the scenic train back to Christchurch and fly home.
Georgie Foster, Thornbury, Vic

Talking Turkish

Do you remember the golden days of business class travel: attentive service, gourmet food and classic wines to sample? One carrier, Turkish Airlines, is making a great effort to recreate this era. We have flown with this airline four times recently and it does not disappoint. On one short flight we were greeted by the on-board chef, handing out menus and taking orders for all three courses. The quality and quantity were exceptional. The entree alone consisted of seven delectable mini-dishes. The flying chefs are cheerful, confident and eager. Presentation involves linen tablecloths, serviettes, quality cutlery, salt and pepper shakers and even a romantic candle at dinnertime. The crew was enthusiastic and attentive in the European tradition. The service was relentlessly friendly, fast and efficient. Local airlines should take notice.
Keith & Maureen Brown, Armidale, NSW

Frisco friction

When reading your US train story (Traveller, March 12) it was wonderful to be able to reminisce about my brilliant experience on the California Zephyr travelling to Chicago in 2011. However, where I was travelling from was a contentious issue. I flew into San Francisco and at one point thought I wasn’t going to be allowed into the country. I was asked about my travel plans and said that after five days in San Francisco I was travelling by train from there to Chicago. The immigration official insisted there was no train from San Francisco. It went back and forth several times, only ending when I finally dug out my travel documents, including the train tickets. It’s worth noting that on the California Zephyr you are travelling from, or to, Emeryville, which is across the bay from San Francisco. It was like insisting that there is no train to Sydney from Melbourne.
Margaret Callinan, Hawthorn Vic

Agent of mercy

I booked my travel to the UK and Iceland last year through a good travel agent and also took out travel insurance. On my second day, in London, I slipped on some stairs and broke my foot. The travel agent was brilliant and cancelled the rest of my trip and liaised with the insurance agents in getting me back home, not to mention being supportive. While there were some hoops to get through with the insurance, such as getting a fit-to-fly certificate, the experience was still positive. As a result, I strongly recommend finding yourself a good travel agent and insurance provider.
Cate Ellis, Carlton North, Vic

The Letter of the Week writer wins three Hardie Grant travel books. See hardiegrant.com

The Tip of the Week writer wins a set of three Lonely Planet travel books. See shop.lonelyplanet.com