Faith in human kindness was affirmed in Lecce.Credit: Getty Images
LETTER OF THE WEEK
MANY HAPPY RETURNS
You would think that if you left a backpack on a fast train in Italy (Rants & raves, December 24) you would never see it again. Not so in our case.
We alighted in Foggia and our backpack went on to Lecce [pictured, above]. We realised at about 6pm on the next train to Manfredonia, one of those single carriage trains that runs between small towns and main lines, that we had left it on the overhead shelf.
We managed to communicate to its driver what had happened, and he asked us to be back at Manfredonia station in an hour when he had completed his next trip.
On his return, he said he had rung a fellow train driver and the network of drivers would return it to Foggia for collection the next morning. A staff member from the family-owned hotel in Manfredonia picked it up and we had it by 9am the next day. Full marks to the wonderful Italians for helping so selflessly.
Bob and Lynne Douglas, Hawthorn, VIC
MISGUIDED EXPERIENCE
During a recent European tour with the Sydney-based Travelabout Tours and Cruises I needed urgent medical assistance and asked our guide if she knew of a doctor who was associated with our hotel. "No, not this one", she replied.
I said I would go to reception to ask them to contact one to come to my room, as I was too ill to venture out to find one. I then spent all day and night in my room and heard nothing from the guide who made no attempt to assist with a doctor.
Next morning she approached me and I asked why she had not checked up on me the previous day. Her response was she did not get in until 9pm. I said it would not have mattered to me what time she got in, she should have looked in on me. Duty of care: none.
I have, as a solo traveller, been on many trips overseas in the past 30 years with other travel companies and have found their Australian guides excellent. I'm sorry I cannot say the same for this one.
Margot Case, Tea Gardens, NSW
COMPUTER SAYS NO
After much research I booked flights to London and Venice on webjet.com.au, entered my personal and credit card details and received a response saying my flights were partially confirmed but my booking had been referred to the ticketing department to complete.
A few hours later I received an email saying my booking had failed "security checks" and it was cancelled. Numerous attempts to resolve by webchat and email were futile and all attempts to be transferred to either a supervisor or the ticketing department were blocked.
I later booked flights via Flight Centre on the same credit card so the problem wasn't my card. I suspect webjet.com.au had chosen not to honour the price "guaranteed" fare they had quoted.
Carole Campbell, Millers Point, NSW
POINTLESS EXERCISE
My husband and I have more than 1.5 million Frequent Flyers points with Qantas, having been members of the program since 1998, but it seems impossible to book an award flight using them.
In July last year we tried to book a return flight to Italy for my daughter and her family for July this year, a full year in advance. Despite all my attempts through various methods (both via online and through the telephone customer service) we were only able to book one way tickets to Italy.
And that was only because as a platinum status member we're able to directly call the Frequent Flyer office and they can find seats not shown on Qantas website.
No return flights were available in August 2016. In the end we purchased regular one way tickets with a different airline. I would like to understand what we should do with our 1.5 million points since it's near impossible to use them for our travel needs.
Paola Fusina, Blackheath, NSW
CLUB RULES
Eighteen months ago I encouraged our sons who travel abroad extensively – mainly between Brisbane and Tokyo – to purchase Qantas Club memberships (which they did). I advised that it would, among other things, allow them to receive priority check-in on Qantas flights at Qantas-dedicated check-in counters in Australia and abroad.
At the time they purchased their not cheap memberships, the Qantas website stated, "with unlimited access to the largest network of any Australian network of any Australian airline, you'll receive ... dedicated check-in at the destinations that matter to you most".
The website also later stated that for international flights, you will be able to "check in at dedicated Qantas Club counters available at most airports".
Earlier this year, unbeknown to our sons and without any prior consultation with its Qantas club members, Qantas removed dedicated check-in counters for its Qantas Club members at Brisbane International and Narita airports. It meant Qantas Club members would no longer receive any paid for priority check-in privileges.
Qantas responded to my subsequent complaint simply stating that "management is aware of your concerns but we are not changing our decision".
Brian Gooch, Peregian Beach, QLD
CHEAP THRILLS
Susan Mahar wrote about issues with a Ryanair booking with BYOjet (Rants & raves, December 24). I have flown with Ryanair on numerous occasions and have never had any problems. This may be because I have always booked through the Ryanair website.
Incidentally, for a humorous description of flying with Ryanair just Google "Fascinating Aida" and watch the group performing what has become one of their best loved songs "Cheap Flights".
Apparently when it was first performed Ryanair put it on their website, which, as the group said, "showed a certain amount of sangfroid".
Kathleen Warren, Coal Point, NSW
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