This was published 6 years ago
Traveller letters: The Australian Embassy treated me like a criminal
Australian Embassy in Paris, France
LETTER OF THE WEEK: SACRE BLEU
Having had my passport stolen from my backpack on a train leaving Paris I reported it the local police on arrival at my destination and via email to the Australian Government.
On returning to Paris, three days later, I attended the Australian Embassy, a poorly-lit, dank building and was ushered through a strict security regime to the front counter.
Having your passport Credit: Shutterstock
Few words were spoken by the counter officer before we were silently ushered upstairs, by a security guard, to a cold, windowless, bland room only to wait for ages to be seen by the one officer on duty.
Formalities were exchanged, documents signed, money paid and then told to come back one week later for the temporary replacement .
The whole time I felt as if I were the criminal, and treated accordingly. And to add insult to injury I was fined for losing my passport – all of this in my own country's embassy.
One week later we returned, only to find that the Embassy was closed due to an Australian public holiday (do they also take French public holidays off as well?) It was appalling service from an Australian institution that is supposed to help you and make you feel welcome and secure.
Our insurance company, ANZ, back in Australia, handled it so much better and alerted me to the fact that I could also apply for a new passport, under my insurance claim.
Thankfully ANZ covered the replacement cost, without question, just on $800 (which did include two return train fares from Blois to Paris to report the incident, personally, to the embassy).
Errol Grace, Fountaindale, NSW
SMOOTH AS SILK
My husband and I recently stayed for two nights at one of our country's luxury lodges, Silky Oaks in far north Queensland.
From the moment you walk into your treehouse set high in the rainforest canopy, with candles alight and gentle indigenous themed music through the Bose, to the moment you leave, you are enveloped in unobtrusive and unpretentious luxury.
The service, food, amenities and location are truly world class and we can't wait to return.
Paula Wales, Research, VIC
PHOENIX RISING
On a recent Qantas flight to Dallas, we were forced to put down in Phoenix, due to a medical emergency.
The staff served our breakfast and cleared everything in a professional and efficient way so the plane could land as quickly as possible. The captain explained the problem and asked for our understanding.
As soon as possible we were back on our way to Dallas, again the flight crew apologised for any disruption.
On my return flight to Sydney via Dallas, my internal flight was delayed due to the hurricane in Texas. I was so concerned that I would miss my international flight, that on getting out of the shuttle bus at international, I left my carry-on bag on the bus.
There was a lovely supervisor at the check-in counter who made several phone calls to locate my bag and within about 15 minutes, she had retrieved my bag, and I made my flight without a problem.
Thank you Qantas staff for your efficient and friendly service.
Jenny Everett, Sydney NSW
LONG WAY ROUND
A Singapore to Bangkok flight taking six hours? Marilyn Tremp (Traveller letters, September 16) must have flown either in a Boeing 247 or a de Havilland DH 86. On both aircraft, catering facilities are extremely limited.
That would explain her difficulty in getting a no-expensive paper cup of water.
Peter Holmes, Tuggeranong, NSW
Changi has numerous clearly signed water fountains, which Marilyn Tremp is more than free to use to refill a water bottle once she has cleared security. Also, asserting that Air Asia has complimentary catering is incorrect.
Lucky for Ms Tremp that Tigerair (Singapore) no longer exists and she can write again to complain about her experience with Scoot, another low cost airline where a user pays system exists.
Stephen Jones, Elwood, VIC
FRANKLY, A NIGHTMARE
The chaotic layout of Frankfurt Airport bemoaned by Ross Player (Rants & raves, September 16) must generate millions in income for Lufthansa.
It cost us €1400 to change two business class fares to Lyon last year after we arrived at the gate 20 minutes before departure only to be told that the flight had already closed - apparently due to the aircraft being parked at a remote location.
Our "tardiness" was due to two sets of directions from Lufthansa staff that took us on a circuitous route from the lounge via multiple security points, rather than via the underground tunnel that directly connects to the domestic gates.
Our fault for being ill-informed and late? Maybe. Certainly the Lufthansa staff make it so when you try to rebook - and there is no negotiation.
At the service desk we noted a large number of very unhappy passengers from other flights all being simultaneously gouged to rebook their flights by smug-faced Lufthansa staff. In future, we have decided to omit both Frankfurt and Lufthansa from our travel itineraries.
Peter Yarrington, Neerim East. VIC
DAYS OF WINE AND CONFUSION
In reference to the letter by Fran Haarsma (Traveller letters, September 16), La Rioja wine district is not in Donostia. It is in the Basque Autonomous La Rioja Community. San Sebastián and Donostia are the same city in Basque Spain - two names for the same place.
The two-hour drive that Fran and her friends took to La Rioja wine district must have been to another wine district city or town in La Rioja.
It's an error in recollection easily made by travellers in a region where most towns have two names.
Jonathan Breedon, Brighton, VIC
MIXED BAGS
I usually check in for international flights 90 minutes before departure and whether travelling Business or First, my bags include priority tags.
But of the past sx international trips this year with a variety of airlines, my luggage has landed first on the carousel once and all other times probably in the last 50 per cent of all luggage. This is the case whether landing in SYD, LAX, YVR, JFK, ATH, NRT or PVG.
Could anyone confirm if it is better to be the last to check in so your bags might be first off or if once checked, it is completely random in what order bags come off irrespective of priority tags?
Richard Lees, Double Bay, NSW
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