Traveller Letters and Reader Tips: Sorry Qantas, but this airline shows you how it's done

I recently returned on a long-haul flight from Asia, and it was torturous. I am tall and I could not sit comfortably in my seat without my knees hitting the seat in front or rubbing shoulders with the person beside me (forget about sleeping). I searched online and realised I wasn't imagining things as seats have been shrinking for 25 years. As a result, the US Federal Aviation Administration is considering a minimum for seating space on planes, due to safety concerns regarding the inability of passengers to safely evacuate a plane in 90 seconds. For me, that was the last long-haul flight I will ever take.

Dave Butler, South Yarra, Vic

THOSE WERE THE DAYS

In April, 2020, a one-way business class ticket between Melbourne and London required 177,400 points plus $474.36 in fees. In April to June, 2020, a return Melbourne to London business class with multiple stops was 437,000 points plus $1732 in fees. In May, 2020, a one-way Melbourne-London business class with Qatar was $4460. Today, booking with Qantas as a Frequent Flyer member, a return flight Melbourne to London in business class between May and July is somewhere between 1,300,000 and 1,600,000 points with no fees or approximately $13,800 cash price return. And Qantas wonders why people are a tad annoyed.

Bob May, Ocean Grove, VIC

SOS FOR SMS

Like Jacob Murray-White (Traveller Letters, January 21), I was caught out while holidaying in Europe. And, like him, I discovered on arrival that I was unable to book anything on the Internet as I could not receive the SMS verification code. I notified my bank (ING) of my travel plans before leaving but there was no alert on their website about this restriction. From the UK, I explained I had no Australian phone with me but the bank would not SMS to either a UK mobile or a UK landline. The fact that I was stranded without an Australian phone for four months left them unmoved. Eventually they suggested I make an international mobile phone call each time I wanted to perform a transaction. Hardly practical, not to mention the incredibly long phone wait times due to staff shortages. Is this now an issue with all Australian credit cards? If not, what credit cards avoid this inconvenience?

Kairen Harris, Brunswick, Vic

WISE MOVE

I totally agree with your reader Jacob Murray-White regarding verification codes being sent to a mobile number that you may not be using overseas. You can avoid this by using the Hello credit card by a company called Wise. Preload Australian dollars and convert to which foreign currency you want to use and then simply use the card. No mobile phone verification is required.

Kerry Henry, McMahons Point, NSW

CUTTING REMARKS

In response to Lee Tulloch's column on the beauty of day-trips (Traveller, January 21). If only trains on NSW's South Coast rail line departed half hourly - that's our dream. Miss one and wait an hour, except in peak hour. And come soon if you want to enjoy the gorgeous ocean views. I have written to the local council, Destination Wollongong, Destination NSW and the train operators asking for some of the scruffy greenery along the line to be trimmed but no one is worried. Bit by bit the views will be hidden. No more chances to spot a whale, or gaze down on pretty Stanwell Park beach, or drink in the changing shades of the ocean. If you care, add your voice. This train journey is too good to be lost in the lantana.

Robyn Cashman, Fernhill, NSW

TIP OF THE WEEK

MY BRILLIANT KOREA

Having returned from three weeks in South Korea (english.visitkorea.or.kr) last November-December, my teenage daughter and I can highly recommend it as a holiday destination. One of the highlights was staying in a hanok (traditional wooden house) in Jeonju, a city easily reached by train from Seoul. The large hanok village is picturesque with many traditional buildings, accommodation, restaurants, free museums and streets to wander around. Another standout was a 19-kilometre day walk up and down Hallasan, South Korea's highest peak, on Jeju island. Walkers must register in advance via the website (visithalla.jeju.go.kr). Registration is free and the QR code from registration must be shown at the entrance to the trails. Hiking boots are a good idea and essential during the colder months when the trails are likely to be icy. Bring your boots from home, or rent from the Oshare shop near Jeju airport.

Julie Taylor, Newport, Vic

CONSTANCE CRAVING

Our family of four, including two teenagers, cycled around Germany's Lake Constance (bodensee.eu/en), known as "Bodensee" in German. We based ourselves in Friedrichshafen on the German side in a family-run traditional Bodensee inn serving local distinctive fare with bicycles available for hire. We rode sections of the lake, then cruised home on one of the many ferries criss-crossing the lake from Switzerland. Quaint medieval Meersberg, Konstanz and riding through three countries in one day were highlights. Swiss Railways (www.swissrailways.com) also hire bikes from their stations.

Wy Yung, Vic

CHRISTMAS CARD

We recently returned from a wonderful trip to Europe to visit the Christmas markets. We travelled between cities by train and used Google maps for public transport planning and exploring by foot. We purchased a Europe and UK Travel Sim Card 12 GB for 30 days from Sims Direct (simsdirect.com.au) before leaving Australia. We took our Australian SIM and installed this in a second (old) phone. We could receive SMS messages to our Australian number using SMS over Wi-Fi without requiring international roaming. It worked a treat for apps that require SMS authentication including online credit card purchases, my.gov.au and for airlines.

Geoff Mason, Wantirna, Vic

NO FUN IN NO REFUND

In August last year we purchased refundable return airline tickets with Aerolineas Argentinas to Ushuaia, the Argentine port of embarkation for a December Antarctic cruise. A week later the expedition company cancelled our cruise, citing ship delays. We immediately cancelled our flight reservations. The airline confirmed a refund was due and would be paid within 120 days in December. After hours of follow-up, no refund has been paid. Buying non-refundable tickets would have saved money, time and many late night calls to South America.

Ewa Wasylkowski, Brighton, Vic

DUST DESSERTS

Should you ever find yourself at a Tanzanian bus terminal, enroute to Jane Goodall's chimpanzees, as we did, and a boy approaches you selling garbage bags, do buy one. We didn't and after eight hours in a decrepit bus along bumpy, dusty and potholed roads we realised our mistake. Not only were our bags covered in dust, but every item inside the bags was powdered in a lustre of red we so richly deserved. Whilst the locals showed great concern, we had to laugh. Only in Africa.

Tom Quealy, Balmain East, NSW

LE NICK OF TIME

Indeed, Swarna Pintno (Traveller Letters, January 21), you saved yourself some money but we only had a brief time between two trains at two stations in Paris, and noticed an excessively long queue to a taxi. We were approached by one man, who quoted us a price and we accepted. Whew. We just made it. Never mind that it cost us an additional amount of euros. We were all happy.

Andrea Pulati, Rushcutters Bay, NSW

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The Letter of the Week writer wins three Hardie Grant travel books. See hardiegrant.com

The Tip of the Week writer wins a set of three Lonely Planet travel books. See shop.lonelyplanet.com