Traveller letters: Hertz customer service slammed

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This was published 5 years ago

Traveller letters: Hertz customer service slammed

Updated
Always take your tablets.

Always take your tablets.Credit: Alamy

TABLET TAKEN

Three weeks ago I inadvertently left a tablet computer in a rental car returned to Hertz at Melbourne airport. I have left many messages on the mobile number purporting to deal with lost property and have never had a reply. I have emailed and spoken to customer relations and been assured they will investigate, but never heard from them again.

I returned to the Melbourne airport office to try and retrieve my computer. I was told the person responsible for handling lost property was away and they could not assist. I can only assume that Hertz Melbourne have no process for dealing with property left in their cars and no intention of restoring it to owners.

Bernadette White, Melbourne, Vic

KEEP IT GREEN

Having just returned from Antarctica I was interested in the "Going Green" article (Traveller, November 25) and Dr Susanne Becken's concern about the growth in Antarctic tourism. I agree that it is an energy intensive destination for flying (but so is flying from Australia to Europe/Arctic) and that there are risks "when ships travel into a pristine area".

However, if those risks can be minimised by travelling with an eco-aware company I would say that there is also a lot to be gained from travel into the area, including building greater eco awareness and appreciation of the impact of climate change. I think it's a destination that many of our politicians, especially the climate change deniers, should visit. It is an unbelievable destination and well worth the effort in getting there.

Vicki Copping, Oatley, NSW

DOCTOR ON BOARD

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We recently returned from a Scenic Tours River Cruise from Moscow to Volgograd. While we were travelling to Moscow, I discovered I had forgotten to include my insulin. I had one stick and I rationed that till we arrived at the Scenic Tsar Boat in Moscow where we discussed the predicament with their on-board doctor. The doctor immediately arranged a car and driver to take us to a doctor's surgery where a prescription was organised to cover the required insulin.

They then organised for the driver to go to another surgery to obtain the insulin and wait with us before then returning us to the boat. Nothing was too much trouble for the doctor and staff for which I am incredibly grateful and would like to let fellow travellers know that even in the direst of circumstances there are always people and staff who can assist.

Cynthia Woolley, Nowra, NSW

ENTER THE DRAGON

Contrary to the experience of Ash Karolia (Traveller letters, November 10), we were extremely well looked after when a delayed flight made us miss a later connection. After a flight from Ulaanbataar to Beijing with Air China, we were delayed waiting for a Dragonair flight to Hong Kong. After an anxious four-hour wait due to a typhoon, Dragonair kept us supplied with bottled water and packets of sandwiches.

On arrival in Hong Kong, having missed our connection to Melbourne, Dragonair staff (after an hour of paperwork and some waiting) arranged visitor permits, a taxi to take us the half-hour into the New World Millenium Hotel in Kowloon, and accommodation for the rest of the night until we were collected again 18 hours later for the final leg of our journey with Cathay Pacific.

We had a bonus 12 hours to explore Hong Kong with a luxury hotel as our base - thank you Dragonair. Our experience could hardly have been better, considering it was due to circumstances beyond the airline's control.

Janine Lucato, Buninyong, Vic

A DIFFERENT PATH

Brian Macdonald (Traveller letters, November 24) was disappointed with the "slow-moving, nose-to-tail traffic, highly commercialised towns teeming with people and no available parking" in the Lake District. Was he on a strict timetable?

In mid-May 2017 I was driven from Ivegill, just south of Carlisle, down in to the Lake District. We didn't see another vehicle for long stretches of road.

Towns like Keswick and Grasmere were certainly full of coach trips and tea rooms. The Wordsworth Trust has revived the 19th century "Wordsworth Country" slogan and trail, and there is also Beatrix Potter country (Near Sawrey and environs), but if you just want to enjoy the scenery, these places can be easily avoided.

We had no difficulty finding spaces in which to pull off the road, including visiting the Castlerigg Stone Circle, upon which the sun came out as we reached the first stones, and from the centre of which it was easy to feel as if we were at the centre of the world.

Ullswater, Derwent Water, Grasmere, Windermere, Wast Water, Coniston Water, Thirlmere and others are all beautiful. The majestic views of Skiddaw, Helvellyn, Brisedale Pike, Scafell Pike, Grasmoor and Grisedale Pike are well worth the country roads.

Anna Campbell, Albury, NSW

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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@fairfaxmedia.com.au and, importantly, include your name, address and phone number.

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