Check-in missed
My daughter was at the Jetstar check-in counter at Coolangatta Airport 35 minutes before departure for her flight to Sydney but was told the flight had closed. There was no apology or explanation.
I called the customer service number to complain that they don't adhere to their own policy. (Jetstar policy is to close check-in 30 minutes before scheduled departure.) A customer service agent put me on hold and after waiting for more than five minutes I figured she had simply hung up on me. I guess that's one way to deal with complaints.
- Lorelle Pollard
Incredible attitude
The Indian Government is doing a great job of irritating people applying for tourist visas. I applied for my visa at an office at Fortitude Valley in Brisbane, manned by courteous and efficient staff. However, one pays $75 for a visa plus an $18 service fee and a 1.5 per cent loading for using a credit card. Phone calls to the office cost 99 cents a minute.
What really startled me was a sign warning visitors to treat staff with courtesy and respect or face the consequences. You can hardly be more provocative than that.
The Indian tourism body has invested a great deal in its "Incredible !ndia" advertising campaign. Its attitude towards potential tourists is, indeed, incredible.
- James Cooper
Portuguese discovery
I have just returned from a European holiday with my young daughters and I want to share our wonderful discovery.
Escaping the cold of northern Europe, we flew to the Algarve coast in Portugal, where we were met at Faro Airport by Claire and Loyd, the owners of Siesta Campers (siestacampers.com). This young English couple have meticulously restored a small fleet of VW campers, which they hire complete with chilled local wine in the fridge.
The beaches and surf are amazing and there are dozens of inexpensive and free campsites.
- Jen Wright
Rental car shock
Thanks for the two letters about car rental problems (Traveller, January 9). I hired a car for 24 hours in England from Eurocar (not Europcar). On returning the car I was told I had damaged it and was charged $1250 on my credit card. I have no doubt the damage was present when I hired the vehicle. I asked for receipts for the repairs but none were forwarded.
I have lost count of the number of times I have hired a car without problems but that experience has removed me from the market. I have not hired a car since. I wonder how much money was collected on that car?
- Steve Pickering
Another scrape
I read the letters about Europcar rentals (Traveller, January 9) and it was a case of deja vu. Last year in Launceston we had a similar experience. I picked up a car in Europcar's city outlet and was given a good briefing on it, with the staff member showing me some marks on the front bumper and noting them.
A week later, without incident, I returned the car. I was astonished and outraged when my credit card was charged for damage to the front bumper, amounting to hundreds of dollars.t
A call was answered by an unhelpful individual who claimed I had caused extra damage to the bumper. My follow-up letter was never acknowledged. Fortunately, our travel insurer paid without question (Travel Insurance Direct - full points to it).
- George Cook
Turned back at gate
My 19-year-old daughter phoned, sobbing, from Coolangatta Airport saying she had been turned away from a Jetstar plane that was about to depart. A female flight attendant had told her that her carry-on bag was too big and she would need to pay $80 to have it checked.
She had flown from Sydney two days earlier with the same carry-on bag but the attendant said the Sydney staff weren't doing their job properly.
The attendant then announced the flight was about to depart and that my daughter would need to pay again for the next flight. My daughter said she couldn't and began to cry.
At this stage the manager arrived and told her that she was "causing attention with her attire" and asked if "blondie was getting upset because she might not see her boyfriend that night?"
According to our daughter, other passengers carried on similar bags.
Jetstar has no customer service direct line and offers to return calls within 72 hours but no contact has been made.
- Daryl Feil
We welcome your travel-related opinions, experiences and letters. Letters may be edited for space, legal or other reasons. Email us at travellerletters@fairfax.com.au, including your name, address and phone number.
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