Traveller letters: Selfie-taking tourists are disrespectful show-offs

We're disappointed to hear of your reader Mark Darcy's impression of Sydney Airport based on his recent arrival experience at our T1 International terminal (Traveller letters, December 2, 2017).

Sydney Airport has invested more than $4 billion since 2002 across our terminal, roads and airfield to deliver significantly improved passenger facilities and customer experience. We appreciate feedback from our passengers and take it into account when making ongoing improvements at the airport.

We're investing in new technology to improve wayfinding around the airport, including dynamic signage, multilingual e-directories, and Google and Baidu maps of our terminals.

We are planning to roll out the multilingual directional signage currently in our departures area to our arrivals concourse, as well as provide clearer signage regarding airport information including baggage collection.

We also continue to work with the Australian Government to deliver new technologies to automate and streamline border processes where possible, with the inbound immigration process a particular area of focus.

The SmartGates delivered in recent years have proven successful, significantly reducing queues and wait times, and this process will continue to improve as new technology comes online. While we have completed many projects to improve the airport experience, we acknowledge there is more to do and there are further initiatives in the pipeline for 2018.

We hope Mark will experience the benefits of these upgrades during his next visit to the airport.

Kerrie Mather, managing director and chief executive, Sydney Airport, NSW

NO RELIEF

My wife and I recently returned from a fabulous trip to New York City. Unlike Sydney where we have a fantastic coverage of public toilets easily accessible, it is certainly not the case in New York.

Most parks do not have public toilets and all cafes and restaurants have signs that say ,"Bathrooms for patrons only". It is very annoying when needing a toilet to have to spend valuable time searching for one. This is not a good look for one of the world's major cities.

Congratulations Sydney, you lead the world.

Les Herbert, Castle Hill, NSW

FRIAR CALLING

I heartily endorse Jane Jilek's praise of old Bratislava as a tourist destination (Traveller letters, December 2, 2017). However, there is a much more interesting way of travelling from Vienna than the train and that is the hydrofoil.

It takes about the same time and it is quite an experience to literally fly down the Danube taking in the wonderful scenery. From our visit we still exchange greetings with the friendly friar who proudly showed us around his ancient monastery church.

Lance Dover, Pretty Beach, NSW

RIGHTS OF REPLY

I was depressed reading Traveller's story on the Anantara resort in Cambodia (Traveller, November 25). Cambodia is in ruin. Its dictator, Hun Sen, of the Cambodian People's Party (the CPP), and one of the longest serving prime ministers in the world, is a man who rules through violence, oppression and graft.

His bodyguards have beaten political opponents, he has ordered the elimination and disposal of any person "fomenting social turmoil" and, in 2016, a prominent journalist, Kem Ley, who was critical of Hun Sen, was gunned down in broad daylight.

Last month Hun Sen referred his only political opponents, the Cambodia National Rescue Party (the CNRP)) to the country's Supreme Court. Unfortunately for the CNRP, the Supreme Court's chief judge, Dith Munty, is a senior ruling party member of the CPP. The CNRP was dissolved.

Hun Sen is now left to govern the country without an opposition, posing what human rights lawyers have called "one of the gravest threats to human rights and representative democracy modern Cambodia has seen".

While I appreciate that the Anantara Angkor is a beautiful resort, the Cambodian people are suffering. I wonder if Traveller would consider ethics footnotes to its travel stories so that readers are informed about a travel destination's human rights reputation.

Nicholas Stewart, Waterloo, NSW

GET ON BOARD

I still cannot fathom why all airlines, both domestic and international, have not yet adopted the system of boarding high number seat holders first, than lower numbers and so on, thus avoiding the mayhem that is inevitably resulting from boarding with the current chaotic system.

Is this simple procedure too difficult to comprehend? I have travelled four times to Europe in the last seven years and I can assure you I simply dread boarding times!

Vanna Gallassi, Marsfield, NSW

THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT

I know Boeing 747s are being phased out but the cabins still need basic maintenance. On a recent flight from Los Angeles the haggard flight attendants were constantly apologising for the broken AV system and many of the seats around me were fraying at the seams.

An elderly aunt and several fellow passengers also flew international business class without a working entertainment system. The airline's apology was a bottle of Moët, but perhaps a more regular repair schedule might be a cheaper option.

Niall McKay, Hamilton, NSW

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