Out of order
If Delta Air Lines wants to succeed in Australia, it needs to improve its service.
On checking in for the 14-hour flight from Sydney to Los Angeles on September 26, we were informed there would be no in-flight entertainment. We were not told there would be no reading lights.
There were several things Delta could have offered to make the flight more bearable. It could have given passengers credit (say $50) to spend in the airport bookshop and provided us with pocket torches. There was adequate time for this to be done between check-in and departure and I suspect Delta probably knew of the malfunction hours before that.
A less expensive option might have been to keep the cabin lights on for the entire flight and offer eye patches to those who wanted to sleep, already part of the airline's cabin kit given to business and first-class passengers. I found the flight unbearable and felt particularly sorry for the many children on the flight who were not even offered a colouring book and crayons.
I have no complaints about the cabin staff. They were polite and sympathetic, but there was little they could do to make the passengers comfortable, short of singing and dancing.
I believe I am entitled to better compensation than the useless $100 flight voucher given to me.
- Sarah Lay
US carry-on
I have just returned from the US where I travelled on domestic flights several times. With some US airlines charging $25 to check in a bag, passengers ignore the carry-on limits and I was surprised I didn't see a kitchen sink in the overhead locker. Underpaid gate staff do not enforce bag limits and boarding is a rugby scrum as people fight for the little overhead space available.
Hopefully we won't head down this path in Australia.
- Jim Walsh
Phantom car damage
I have heard of people being charged for damage to hire cars that they have not done, so when I picked up a car from Hertz at Perth airport I checked it carefully. The condition report I was given at the desk said the car had no damage. However, some marks seemed worse than the average hire-car scrapes, so I asked a staff member in the car park to mark them in the condition report and to initial it.
A few days after the hire I received a letter saying that the damage (that had initially not been deemed worth recording) was now so bad that nearly $3500 had been charged to my credit card. I sent a scan of my marked report and after three weeks of arguing, Hertz conceded.
But I am still waiting for Hertz to refund the money it charged to my credit card.
- Don Garden
Volcanic fallout
My sister and I went overseas for six weeks earlier this year and our travel was disrupted by the Iceland volcanic eruption. Instead of flying from Shannon Airport in Ireland to London, we had to undertake a 24-hour overland trip by train, bus and ferry.
I claimed $469 from my insurer (with all receipts) but did not claim meals, taxis or phone calls. My sister claimed $640 from her insurer for expenses, including meals. Her claim was paid promptly and in full.
After a long hassle my insurer, MBF-BUPA, paid only $233 of my modest claim of $469. I won't use it again.
- Margaret Burton
Insurance surprise
On the way to London earlier this year, we were stranded in Kuala Lumpur by the volcanic eruption in Iceland. I wondered how I would go with my free credit-card travel insurance but was delighted when Zurich Insurance paid my claim in full for hotel costs and alternative flights to Vienna, with not a single query about my claim.
- Glenne Drover
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.
Sign up for the Traveller newsletter
The latest travel news, tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox. Sign up now.