This was published 1 year ago
Traveller Letters and Reader Tips: Not seated with your partner? Ask someone to swap, says airline
One Traveller reader was unhappy Etihad had seated him three rows away from his wife on a long-haul flight.Credit: iStock
SEPARATION ANXIETY
On our flight from London to Sydney with Etihad, we eventually reached the check-in desk to discover that my wife and I had been allocated seats three rows apart (two middle seats) even though we had booked the flight as a single booking. Etihad staff were not prepared to do anything about it and just said that we should ask passengers around us to swap. Once we were on board, again the Etihad crew would not help us. Fortunately we were able to get somebody to swap.
Kym Haines, Gordon, NSW
LETTER OF THE WEEK
SNAP DECISION
Many years ago, just married and deciding to have one grand trip BC (before children), we considered a trek in Nepal. But my husband had just had knee surgery and was advised against it. We are so glad that we ended up travelling to Kenya instead for a four-week tour with Tropical Ice. It is one of the best trips we have ever done so we were delighted to hear that Iain Allan is still leading such great safaris, as featured in your story by Julie Miller (Traveller, January 28). Our tour included a walk along the Tsavo River and we still tell the story of how we had to pass through crocodile-infested waters to cross the river. I look back at that trip and think how adventurous we were but it was so worth it. The wildlife we saw was magnificent and the elephants won our hearts. So be brave and go and see these beautiful animals while we still can. And bravo to Iain Allan.
Jenny McMurray, West Pymble, NSW
CHECK, MATE
After a stress-free seven weeks in Europe late last year with carry-on luggage, we were very pleased with ourselves for having packed only carry-ons (Including ski boots) for our upcoming three weeks skiing in Canada. But, having read the tip from your correspondent, Peter Car (Traveller Letters, January 28) that those without checked luggage are likely to be offloaded first, we are adding a check on with a few extra bits and pieces that won't matter if the bag doesn't make a connection. And we can chuck everything into it for the homeward journey and be hands-free coming back.
Heather Barker, Albert Park, Vic
POWER TRIP
On a recent trip to Khao Lak via Phuket Airport I took a 70,000 mAh [milliampere hour] power bank with me. I have travelled with this unit without any problems many times before. There was no problem outward bound but returning through security at Phuket my carry-on bag was screened and I was asked to remove the power bank. After physical inspection I was informed that I could not take it on board as it was over 20,000 mAh. A form was filled out by security staff, which had to be signed by myself and the unit was duly confiscated. On returning home I browsed the web to see what the rules regarding power banks on planes were. It turned out that the security in Phuket were following the rules. I have now purchased a 20,000mAh power bank.
Phillip I. Walsh, Bayswater, Vic
WHAT THE TREK
Your story (Traveller, January 28) on the escorted group trek through Kenya was evocatively described by Julie Miller. The ratio of eight paying trekkers and 20 safari fly camp employees would seem to ensure a safe and environmentally sensitive safari. It may be journalistic or editorial style but it was slightly odd that the lead guide, "legendary Kenyan mountaineer Iain Allan" is mostly referred to as "Allan" while the "native" trackers only endowed with the one paternalistic identity.
David G. Harris, Ivanhoe, Vic
EDITOR'S NOTE Iain Allan, by virtue of being the founder of the company responsible for the walk, was quoted fairly extensively by Miller in the story. It wasn't her intention to overlook the other guides on the trek and we will heed our reader's most thoughtful and valid remarks in future articles.
LOYALTY REWARDED
Reading recently about others' negative experiences with Qantas, I want to congratulate QF on its Fiji-based call centre. I had a Frequent Flyer booking which was changed by the carrier (not Qantas) and which asked me to accept a flight which was impossible to board as I was already mid-flight. (I thought computers were meant to avert this kind of clash.) I called the Frequent Flyer call centre and was immediately connected to a representative who knew much about the product and cared so much for the customer as to cement my loyalty to Qantas. Reena Cheng was a perfect consultant: knowledgeable, compassionate and efficient, she re-routed our journey and solved the problem the computer system had created. Well done, Qantas.
Greg Pritchard, Sandringham, Vic
SMARTPHONE MOVE
Your correspondent (Traveller Letters, January 28), states "carrying a physical card defeats the object of storing the card on my phone". I also have credit, debit and other cards stored on my phone, however, unlike your correspondent I carry one credit card, one debit card and $100 cash in my wallet as back up. I call it taking sensible precautions, because if one's phone is lost, broken, stolen, or fails in some way I still have access to funds.
Barrington Salter, Neutral Bay, NSW
HOORAY FOR AUSSIEWOOD
This letter may not fit the usual theme, but the article by Julietta Jameson (Traveller, February 4) about the Hollywood sign has promoted my response. I was particularly intrigued by the long history of the sign detailed in the referenced website hollywoodsign.org. In the early 1990's I worked at the Austrade office based in the Australian consulate in Los Angeles and proudly displayed on one wall was a photo of the sign with the inscription that it was made of BHP steel (presumably during its most recently recorded rebuild in 1978).
Des Walsh, Narrabeen, NSW
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