PLANE DELICIOUS
Joseph Ting (Traveller Letters, January 10-11), may have a point regarding the inevitable amount of some food waste from aircraft, which is unavoidable to some extent. However, he and his many other airline passengers must have a severe problem with their tastebuds if they find the meals unpalatable and bland.
I have travelled extensively on Qantas, British Airways, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, Cathay Pacific, Malaysia Airlines, Garuda, and Alitalia and others out of Australia over the last 38 years and have never had a meal which I didn't enjoy and finish entirely (in economy class only).
Meals on flights to the US are also very palatable as they are all prepared in Australia, to Australian standards, and designed by world-renowned chefs. However, meals [on flights] within the US cannot be described in the same way, with one meal from New York to Los Angeles consisting of one half of a warm Big Mac.
If Mr Ting has a poor opinion of airline food he could politely decline accepting it when it is offered, or maybe the airlines should give him the opportunity, when booking, to be able to decline the provision of a meal.
- Maxwell Hall
LETTER OF THE WEEK
I'm approaching an ATM in Bellagio, Lake Como, but am beaten to it by four women who have just alighted from a coach. They are standing in front of the cash machine talking loudly and looking frustrated. I settle in to wait my turn, the thought of a cool glass of the excellent local frizzanti secco on my mind.
One of the women is complaining vehemently. "I can't use this machine," she says. Thinking of the head start my companions have had at the bar I ask the woman if can I help. She replies: "This machine doesn't do American!"
Perplexed, I look at the screen, which, as normal, asks the customer to choose a language. There are six languages indicated by a flag symbol. "What is the problem?" I ask. She responds that "there is no American flag! How can I get my money?" I suggest she use the British flag and instructions will appear in English.
The women look at me suspiciously. "Well, I guess maybe that will have to do!" one says, as I assure them it will be OK. Our transactions successfully completed, they thank me for my assistance and compliment me on my good English. I decide to leave well enough alone and take the steps of the narrow laneway to the bar two at a time.
- Norm Simons
MASS APPEAL
Having long ago lived in, and loved, Rome for a decade, I endorse Ute Junker's choice of not-to-be-missed churches (Traveller, January 17-18). Among many others, one could add: Santa Sabina, crowning the Aventine; San Pietro in Vincoli, housing Michelangelo's Moses; the Gesu, closely associated with St Ignatius and his Jesuits; Santa Maria in Cosmedin, with the popular Bocca della Verita (Mouth of Truth) in its porch; Sant'Andrea della Valle, reminding opera fans of Tosca; and Santa Maria in Vallicella (the "Chiesa Nuova"), the previous titular church of the Australian Cardinals Knox and Clancy.
- Michael Costigan
WELL TRAINED
Thank you so much Andrew at Airtrain Brisbane, for your excellent service. Our son, on his first trip by himself, left his travel documents at the airport Airtrain counter. The Airtrain staff found our email address on a document, sent us an email for the procedure to follow for him to retrieve his documents. I texted this on to him and he collected his documents, the most precious being his Lion King ticket.
- Heather Milligan
CLASS CONSCIOUS
We are considering flying either premium economy or business class for the first time on a trip to Europe. Any suggestions of the best airlines? Of course we will be happy to report back on our experiences based on your suggestions .
- Scott Lawrie
WORST OF BRITISH
Brickbats to British Airways after our recent return flight home to Australia from Paris. My husband and I booked our flights months ahead, but although our booking was obviously linked, we were not seated together for the longest haul, from London to Singapore. We tried to check in online 24 hours out, but the website wouldn't let us.
Although we arrived at the airport three hours before the flight we were told "it's too full, you'll be seated in different rows". In Singapore we spent over an hour in the phone queue to BA to try and ensure that we would be seated together on the flight to Sydney, having encountered the same difficulty when trying to check in online.
When we finally spoke to a BA operative we learned they could not help us, and the advice was turn up early at the airport to check in. While we waited in the phone queue, I sent two urgent emails to what is laughingly referred to as BA Customer Support; a week later I have yet to hear from them.
As it turned out, our BA flight from Singapore to Sydney was delayed by half an hour, so as we were liable to miss our connecting flight home they put us on a Qantas flight. Hooray!
- Deborah Clark
WE WELCOME YOUR TRAVEL-RELATED OPINIONS AND EXPERIENCES
The writer of the letter judged the best of the week will receive a LUXE travel guides box set, valued at $60, including savvy, pocket-sized guides for destinations including Sydney, Melbourne, Hong Kong, London and New York. See luxecityguides.com for more details. 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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