Traveller letters: Don't like window shades up - then bring a sleep mask

How does he know that there is not further assistance for these people once they walk off the plane? We should admire people who travel despite their mobility issues.

Elizabeth Friederich, Ainslie ACT

In response to Paul Howat's letter, not all wheelchair users are unable to walk. I need my power chair to walk any distance, for example to the boarding gate, but I am also able to walk short distances either with my crutch or by holding on to furniture.

I use my chair to the disabled boarding lift and then walk unaided to my seat. Disabilities come in all shapes and sizes. Don't make judgments about people and their conditions about which you know nothing.

Priority boarding allows a disabled person to take their seat without all the crowding in the aisles which could hold up other passengers. The staff also give a private emergency briefing once they are seated before the other passengers board.

If the passenger is able to disembark independently there is no reason for them to wait until last if they can then wait in more comfort in the lounge until their chair arrives.

Ignorant judgments like yours make disabled people's lives unnecessarily difficult.

Belinda Rogers, Drouin, VIC

BIN THERE, DONE THAT

I recently stayed in New York City on Prince and West Broadway, clearly the route for emergency vehicles, tooting drivers and the thrice-weekly early morning collection of ubiquitous garbage bags.

The collection appeared well-organised for this populous city – wouldn't have been able to move with our juggernaut bins. Besides, like the iconic steam rising from the roads, the bags were an affirming visual cue that I was in the Big Apple.

Anita Gray, Elwood, VIC

LIGHT AND SHADE

Michael "The Tripologist" Gebicki thinks it is bad manners to have your window shades up in flight when others want to watch movies. But surely we are experiencing 21st century madness when people would rather watch some contrived unreality on a little screen rather than the awe-inspiring cloudscapes, sunrises, sunsets and even landscapes far below?

We are so privileged to see the earth from this vantage point and I choose a window seat to enjoy this natural wonder. Judging by other recent letters, many others don't want to be cast into long hours of darkness when it's light outside. Should airlines offer "shades up" and "shades down' cabins?"

Julia Holland, Margate, QLD

I object most strongly to being classed with the selfish people who recline their seat. I like to keep my shade up for as long as possible. This helps prevent jet-lag and the main reason they request you to lower the blind is to save work for the cabin crew.

Do people not realise that we can see sights never seen before by human beings, such as beautiful sunsets and views of foreign lands? I like to do crosswords and read during flight and I cannot believe that we risk being questioned by authorities on landing for not lowering the blinds.

We are not criminals, it is just a personal choice and if you want to sleep bring a mask.

Olive Waldron, Heathmont, VIC

No, Michael Gebicki, it is not a legitimate request to ask a person in a window seat to lower the window shade. The reasons given by Gebicki supporting such a request are completely specious. He writes as if the sun is shining directly through each window at all times, which is not the case.

If someone wishes to sleep on a daytime flight, he/she should wear eye shades. Why have windows if one cannot look out of It would be cheaper to build windowless passenger aircraft like freighters, so why not do that?

I am also sure that the issue of window shades would not be pressed with business class passengers: the flight attendants would be more concerned with fawning over the passengers.

John Christiansen, St Kilda, VIC

No Margaret Nash, window shades are not closed "as a cost saving measure". No food is reused as, on arrival in a foreign country, all food must be destroyed as a bio-security measure. No, oxygen levels are not reduced.

Generally long haul flights out of Australia run into dark fairly quickly, so closing window shades after the service does not deny much daylight.

Georgie Levy, Hendra, QLD

MAJOR DISCONNECT

How very sad must Sue Martin's life must be that she can't cope with renting a holiday home without Wi-Fi. The horror of being away from the internet while supposedly on leave from everyday life.

We, and I'm sure most others, manage just fine plus pretty much all pubs and cafes offer free Wi-Fi if you can't bear being off Facebook for four hours.

We just spent a wonderful long weekend in rural NSW in a cottage built in 1832. It was historically delightful and worth every dollar and we didn't give a fig there was no Wi-Fi or even, shock horror, TV. But there a huge open fire, a CD playing and a good glass of local wine.

Bliss.

Victoria Watts, Gordon, NSW