This was published 6 years ago
Readers' tips & advice: Why the window seat on a plane is overrated
D8AKWM Airplane seat and window inside an aircraftCredit: paul prescott / Alamy Stock Photo
CLEAR PERSPECTIVE
The window seat on airlines is overrated (Traveller on Sunday, February 4). You're guaranteed a good view only for five minutes or so after take-off and before landing, unless you know that you'll be flying over something really special such as the Grand Canyon in daylight.
I've always tried to get an aisle seat so I could go for frequent walks to avoid the dreaded DVT. And I always told my fellow passengers that if they needed to climb over me, no problem, as I would go for a walk too.
Wayne Robinson, Kingsley, WA
TIP OF THE WEEK
CAIRNS OR BUST
I was due to go on a holiday with Australian Air Holidays to Cairns and Thursday Island last August. Three days before going I was called by a company of liquidators saying the company had gone broke. My travel insurance did not cover the subsequent loss and that of a deposit for a trip in April of this year.
I was told by a former travel agent that there was a fund travel agents paid into to cover these losses but that has been subsumed so no luck there either. If you have a platinum credit card with platinum fees, which I haven't, I might have been covered.
So the lesson learned is you can be covered for any amount of airport hold-ups, loss of baggage and the like but to be actually covered for the cost of the trip should a company go bust you have no real recourse at all. My $6000 is gone forever as the liquidation will not bring any return to the creditors.
Marilyn Irons, North Narrabeen, NSW
ROAD RULES
For those hiring cars in Europe be aware that not all cars come with an enabled GPS. On our recent trip to Spain, our car had a state of the art GPS system, but was not enabled.
We were forced to hire a very basic windscreen mounted device. Also be aware that many petrol stations are self-serve pay at the bowser (especially on Sundays) and only take one type of card. Many "B" grade roads are worth taking and are generally superior to our interstate roads here in Australia.
Unless you are happy driving a manual, paying a few extra dollars for an automatic means that there's one less thing to worry about when driving on the other side of the road. Always hire a car that runs on diesel as they are far more economical.
Peter Miniutti, Ashbury, NSW
WAY TO GO
I flew to Melbourne for a few days last week from the Illawara Regional Airport at Albion Park, NSW, on the new Jetgo service. As I live in Shoalhaven Heads I generally have to travel two plus hours north to Sydney often in heavy traffic, pay expensive parking and face the crowds at Sydney Airport. In contrast, it took me 35 minutes to get to Albion Park and as the plane lands at Essenden in Melbourne (which is much closer to the city than Tullamarine) my cab fare to the city was half the normal price.
The plane takes off minutes after boarding, and we disembarked minutes after landing and my luggage arrived minutes later. I was in an Uber headed to Melbourne 19 minutes after landing
The flight reminded me of the "old days" when flying was an adventure and every single staff member smiled and provided five-star service. I plan on being a regular. Well done, Jetgo.
Sandra Groom, Shoalhaven Heads, NSW
NEVER ON A MONDAY
When in Lisbon and considering visiting Sintra's Pena Palace, do not go on a Monday. Many museums in Lisbon are closed then and there is a mass tourist migration to Sintra as an alternative, which becomes very crowded.
Do be patient and queue to take the lift to the top of the Padrao dos Descombrimentos tower for stunning city and Tagus river views. And of course the delicious Portuguese Tarts at Pasteis de Belem are a must. Don't queue – go inside and grab a table and order at least two each. A good pit stop after visiting the Mosterio dos Jeronimas.
Peter Whitehead, Turramurra, NSW
POINTED RESPONSE
We were in Berlin in 2011 and while the military set-up at Checkpoint Charlie (Traveller on Sunday, March 4) is fake, take a walk through the entrance towards what was once East Berlin.
You will see many photos on either side of the street of what it was like in 1964 when I was there. The photos give you a real feel for how desolate and sad it was then.
P. O'Brien, Brighton, Vic.
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