Traveller letters: Tourists block my view with their phones at events

Stephanie Schiller, Seddon VIC

TOO KIND

Thanks, Sue Williams (Traveller letters, October 15) for acknowledging the often overlooked kindness of strangers when travelling.

My friend and I were rescued in Helsinki by a young man, who drove us 30 kilometres out of his way. We had caught the train to the wrong port (but with the same name) in order to catch a ferry to Poland.

Time was running out and we had little money as had spent all euros prior to leaving the country. He accepted our gratitude and wished us well.

Susan Grant, Cardiff Heights, NSW

STAMPS OF DISAPPROVAL

I have also experienced non-delivery of Spanish postcards. Last November I enjoyed selecting 10 cards from a colourful array in Barcelona and consigned them to a small red postbox at a newspaper kiosk which sold stamps. The postcards have not been received. My friend posted 20 - ditto.

Lindy Reid, Mosman, NSW

I agree with Jane Jilek (Traveller letters, October 22), not everyone has access to the internet and think postcards are a nice old- fashioned custom, and who doesn't like receiving one? However It has always been the case that sending them from from certain countries is a gamble.

I have been advised over the years that you never hand them over the desk at your hotel as the staff will pocket the money or steam the stamp off and throw them in the bin and to never use a regional or suburban post box and to only post at an official post office (not always easy to find).

I've even been told that in some countries they read your card and if its critical of the country or the government its destroyed. I posted 12 cards from Egypt in 2010 and only four arrived and I'm still waiting for the two cards I sent from Thailand in August to arrive.

It's a gamble but a nice thing to do and trying to find stamps and post boxes in this digital world can lead you to places you may not normally go.

Nick Moody, Condobolin, NSW

I have successfully used a postcard app called Touchnote for the past five years when travelling overseas. It's great to be able to use one's own photos, use a generous wording allowance and know that the postcard will arrive within five to 10 days.

The print quality of the postcard is excellent. I love not having to search and buy a postcard then find a post office and pay for a stamp. This is an economical alternative.

Judi Rosevear, Wantirna, VIC

LACK OF CLASS

In the past year I booked a business class seat on QF10 (Dubai to Melbourne) for travel using frequent flyer (FF) points. On arriving at the airport I was downgraded to premium economy because (a) the flight was overbooked and (b) one business class and one first class seat were not operating properly and could not be used.

I was told I had been selected for the downgrade, despite a long-standing booking, because I had booked using FF points, the implication being I had not paid for my seat. Wrong. I paid for my seat on the numerous occasions I flew with Qantas over the years, which enabled me to accumulate enough FF points to book a business class seat.

If Qantas truly values the loyalty of its frequent flyers, perhaps they should be prioritised and not treated as second best.

Sue Noble, Yarraville, VIC

CLEARING THE AIR

Bill Young's argument about airline cabin air (Traveller letters, October 22) is flawed because not all cabin air is replaced instantaneously, with 20-30 replacements per hour being the norm.

From any given starting point when 50 per cent of cabin air volume has been replaced, 50 per cent original air remains and, in the bad old days, this was smoke-polluted. However fresh air was the replacement.

By the time another 50 per cent of cabin volume is replaced that still leaves 25 per cent of the "original" air, together with new pollutants added in meantime.

So, these days the task of maintaining good air quality is much easier as it never gets that foul in the first place and improved hospital-grade filters are used on modern aircraft for the recycled component.

Credit aircraft engineers with the ability to choose an air replacement regime that is sufficient to prevent a rise in carbon dioxide levels and maintain "freshness". They do, after all, tackle far more demanding tasks in getting these marvellous craft airborne.

Colin Wilshire, Doncaster East, VIC