Traveller letters: Melbourne airport immigration machines are better than people

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Traveller letters: Melbourne airport immigration machines are better than people

A series of Australian Crime Commission reports in recent years have highlighted that serious and organised criminals operating here have international links, particularly the movement of illicit goods into Australia.

A series of Australian Crime Commission reports in recent years have highlighted that serious and organised criminals operating here have international links, particularly the movement of illicit goods into Australia.

PEOPLE SKILLS

I agree with Matthew Leung (Traveller Letters, September 17). I was happy going through exit immigration at Melbourne in July to find people replaced by machines – something I usually deplore. The surliness of staff I have encountered over past years when presenting documents was awful. No eye contact at all, even ignoring a cheery "good morning".

It contrasts greatly with those in Singapore, Delhi, Dubai, Spain, Turkey or France where I was met with smiles and welcoming chat, even a bowl of mints on the counter in some places.

The trip took three days in the 1950s when Nigel Hungerford flew on a DC3 from Zambia to London.

The trip took three days in the 1950s when Nigel Hungerford flew on a DC3 from Zambia to London.Credit: Leanne Pickett

Elaine Rust, Dromana, VIC

LETTER OF THE WEEK

Peter Longhurst's account of his trip in 1965 (Traveller Letters, September 24) reminded me of our trip to the US in 1947. Dad was already in New York working for BHP. Mum and we three children followed. It took seven days to fly from Sydney to San Francisco in a Skymaster DC4 flown by Australian National Airlines. The flight had nine crew and 23 passengers. We stopped in Nadi, Canton Island, and Honolulu for three days for crew changes. Between Canton Island and Honolulu we encountered a huge hurricane. We children were sleeping on the floor's carpet, no lay back seats then. The flight attendant came around and said "we always get through"; most reassuring!

Brian Noad, Surry Hills, NSW

THE MILK RUN

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I might be accused of one-upmanship but to me a 1½ day flight from Johannesburg to Perth is nothing! When my family lived in southern Africa in the 1950s, it took me three days to fly (unaccompanied at the age of 12) from Lusaka (now Zambia) to London. The scheduled flight was in a DC3 stopping overnight at Entebbe (Uganda), Wadi Halfa (Sudan) and Malta. As a schoolboy I enjoyed not only the exciting locations (such as sailing on the Nile, swimming in the Mediterranean), but also the fun with other schoolkids returning to boarding school and the kind attention of the flight crews. Airsickness at the low bumpy altitudes we flew was just part of the experience!

Nigel Hungerford, Hawthorn East, VIC

BATH TIME

Reading letters about missing sink plugs, I was reminded that when a girlfriend and I were backpacking around Europe in 1976-77, the cheap hotels in which we stayed often charged extra for a guest to have a bath.

Upon payment of the extra charge, a bath plug was handed over by management. We soon found that a glass turned upside down over the plug hole did the trick.

Amanda Bernie, North Rocks, NSW

CARDS ON THE TABLE

My wife and I had purchased our airline tickets (Qatar) online with my credit card. Everything was processed as we expected. However, when we logged on (a few months later) to confirm our flight details (the day before we flew out), the airline's system would not accept our transaction. We contacted the airline and were advised that the credit card we had used could not be verified.

The credit card we had used to purchase the tickets had since been replaced with a new one (due to the original one being damaged) and now the new card number was different. The airline advised that we now needed a letter from our financial institution stating why the credit card numbers were different.

Luckily, we were able to attain the letter and we were able to board the flight the following day (after they had seen the letter).

The airline advised that if we had no letter (as evidence), we would have had to buy another ticket to board the flight; this was their policy to combat credit card fraud.

Even though this caused a great deal of stress, it is understandable that airline companies are protecting themselves against credit card fraud.

Be aware that a number of airline companies have similar policies.

Jim Trianta, South Hurstville, NSW

FOLLOW THE MONEY

Just how secure is a Qantas cash card? Not very, as from my recent experience in Bali – my total card amount was taken out by an unknown person with no access to my card or PIN number. Qantas have so far been unable to advise how this could happen.

Credit to Qantas, though, in accepting responsibility within 24 hours of receiving the completed claim form (although I couldn't access the money as the card was cancelled and I have to wait for a replacement card with the money credited).

Julian Vyner, Vincentia, NSW

INSURANCE CHECK

In response to Mina Pitliangas' letter in Traveller (Traveller Letters, September 17), everyone should always read the small print in travel insurance, especially if the insurance is "free". There is usually some kind of excess.

However, it's the big money that counts, and last year my "free" credit card travel insurance covered me for well over $100,000 in medical and associated expenses. It was a bit of a battle – actually more than a bit, and mention of the Financial Services Ombudsman helped – but they came good in the end.

And if I have ever been stranded somewhere overseas, it was the airline that paid for my extra night's accommodation and supplied food vouchers as well.

So while it is possible to be out of pocket when travel goes wrong, your financial loss as a rule would be much less with than without travel insurance, free or otherwise.

Kirsten Walla, Vaucluse, NSW

DOWN TO BUSINESS

We recently treated ourselves to business-class seats on Qatar to Berlin. Arriving at Doha, we expected to enter the glamorous, state-of-the-art airport portrayed in their advertisements. Ummm, no. We left the plane via a mobile staircase (a struggle for some oldies) and walked across the tarmac to a bus that took us to the terminal. This building appeared to date from the 1960s. Not only was there no business lounge but the transit area had no seats for most of the passengers. We spent an uncomfortable few hours sitting on the floor before our connection. Hardly luxurious.

Timothy Miles, Dulwich SA

WE WELCOME YOUR TRAVEL-RELATED OPINIONS AND EXPERIENCES

The writer of the letter judged the best of the week will receive a Lonely Planet prize pack. See lonelyplanet.com.

Letters may be edited for space, legal or other reasons. Preference will be given to letters of 50-100 words or less.

Email us at travellerletters@fairfaxmedia.com.au and, importantly, include your name, address and phone number.

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