This was published 5 years ago
Traveller letters: The loophole that lets you beat Jetstar's carry-on crackdown
Don't want your bag weighed? Just get to the gate at the last minute.Credit: SHUTTERSTOCK
SCALES OF INJUSTICE
I recently flew from Sydney to Maroochydore on Jetstar. They are never my first choice but the Sunshine Coast is not well served by other airlines.
I carefully weighed my bags and found them to be three kilograms over the seven kilograms allowance. Mindful of reports that Jetstar have cracked down on excess baggage, a move I approve of, I checked my larger bag.
Etihad's unscheduled stop was a mess, according to one reader.
Arriving at the departure gate, passengers were called to have their bags weighed and tagged. I watched many bags rejected, their owners called to the desk to pay excess fees.
I also watched one man empty his bags on to a seat (surely in sight of staff) and offer them to be weighed and tagged before re-filling them.
But then, 20 minutes before the gate closed, staff removed the scales and left. I questioned this and was told they had instructions to do so because weighing late arrivals resulted in delayed flights.
Everyone who arrived after this time just waltzed aboard, their bags untagged.
Many were obviously over the limit and I wonder if they are frequent Jetstar flyers who know about this loophole.
Chris Heath, Sunrise Beach, QLD
NO COLOMBO PLAN
A recent Etihad Airlines flight from Abu Dhabi to Sydney on which I was passenger had to make an unscheduled stop in Colombo for a medical emergency.
Everyone accepts that a medical emergency involves a disruption to the schedule but everyone is entitled to expect that it will be handled efficiently.
Our experience was practically a case study of mismanagement. Passengers were given no information before disembarking, and when a single Etihad representative finally appeared, she could not possibly communicate with 500 frustrated passengers milling around in the transit area.
The transport process to hotels, which involved an excruciatingly uncomfortable 75-minute drive to Colombo, was utterly chaotic with members of our party separated and sent to different hotels which we were never able to identify. There was no indication of how long we'd be in Colombo or what re-boarding arrangements were being made.
When we finally returned to the airport there was nobody to meet us, no instructions to follow and no hint of when or where our flight would depart. We finally reached Sydney 25 hours late.
Bruce Hyland, Woy Woy, NSW
LETTER OF THE WEEK: SOUNDS OF SILENCE
Reading Kerry van der Jagt's article "Bearing Witness" (Traveller, March 16) about visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau I found myself remembering my own visit there. Never before had I been somewhere where I could physically feel the horror and sorrow of what had been perpetrated there.
Standing in a gas chamber at Auschwitz I cried at the thought of the last moments of the poor souls who had perished there. I cried even more as I left the gas chamber only to walk past the ovens where the bodies had been disposed of.
After leaving Auschwitz-Birkenau there was absolute silence on my tour bus, everyone horrified by what we had seen and felt. I still feel sick to my stomach when I remember that day.
While nothing can prepare you for visiting such a site and you will never forget the experience, it is important that we do so to remind us to never forget and make sure nothing like it ever happens again.
Alison Vallance, East Lindfield, NSW
SAME SAME
Sydney Airport's practice of using the same swab for more than one person, as described in Robert Postema's letter (Traveller letters, March 16), quite apart from issues of cross-contamination, defies the rules of basic hygiene and should be stopped immediately.
Marcia Roche, Mill Park, VIC
A QUESTION OF BALANCE
I'm back from a wonderful trip in Laos, with much to ponder. So many of our fellow travellers were the same (Boomer) age as us, with many recently retired and re-enjoying parts travelled in the 1970s.
From this trend arises a style of muted luxury: fancy coffees, scientifically brewed, and fusion food – a gorgeous mango sticky rice presented as an array of black rice balls with a mango-lime salsa. Old teak hotels with dreamy beds.
All this makes travel a comfortable joy. But more comfort means more Western tourists – and more traffic. Hmmm – can the balance be maintained?
Sally Pope, Five Dock, NSW
CROSS PURPOSES
A small correction to the letter by Bette Pulver (Traveller letters, March 16) on the Israel-Jordan border crossings: the Allenby crossing is not at the border of Israel and Jordan. It is the border between Jordan and the Palestinian West Bank, currently occupied by the Israeli army.
Bernard Slattery, Castlemaine, VIC
A PLUS FOR QF
I recently flew from Sydney to Canberra (QF1515), Canberra to Adelaide (QF737) and return via Melbourne (QF690) to Sydney (QF458) and would like to thank everyone from the ground staff at check-in to the flight attendants.
Having a mobility problem I was "wheelchaired" from check-in to lounges at each part of the journey, the men and women who assisted me were charming, with nothing a problem. They also lifted me in and out of the chair and into my seat.
The care and attention they gave me, a passenger travelling alone who needed much help, money couldn't buy.
Thank you, Qantas.
Moire Berman, Manly, NSW
LATE ARRIVAL
On December 30 last year, while in France, my wallet was stolen with several cards in it. I phoned and requested replacements on that day for two credit/debit cards to be sent to my European address.
My American Express card arrived within 72 hours but after two weeks the Qantas card hadn't arrived so I rang only to be told that they hadn't sent it but they would not charge me for now sending it express delivery.
Two weeks later I sent five emails over five days, all were acknowledged but only the fifth was answered, letting me know that they hadn't sent it but they would now send it express delivery.
The card finally arrived on February 26 – nearly two months after requesting the replacement. It was lucky that I had other financial resources.
Joanna Fox, Valla Beach, NSW
Send us your travel-related opinions and experiences Letters may be edited for space, legal or other reasons. Preference will be given to well-constructed and formatted letters of 50-100 words or less. Email us at travellerletters@traveller.com.au and, importantly, include your name, address and phone number.
Read more Traveller Letters
Follow us: @TravellerAU on Twitter | TravellerAU on Facebook
Sign up for the Traveller newsletter
The latest travel news, tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox. Sign up now.