Traveller Letters: I left hand luggage behind at Heathrow. What happened next was impressive

With the poor publicity as a result of Qantas' outsourcing its luggage handling services, there was a lingering worry that, when recently flying to Launceston via Melbourne, that our luggage wouldn't arrive at the same time we did. The good news was that our bags did make the transfer and were on the plane when we arrived. However, the bad news was that Qantas' luggage handling contractor left our bags in the pouring rain in Sydney. The contents were wet when we unpacked at our hotel.

Tony Ransom, Tennyson Point, NSW

PUTTING THE ANNOY IN HANOI

Unfortunately my experience of Hoan Kiem Park in Hanoi was not quite as enjoyable as that of your letter writer (Traveller Letters, October 22). I had a couple of hours to fill in before going to the city's Water Puppets tourist attraction and thought a stroll through the park would be pleasant. I couldn't sit for even a minute without being badgered relentlessly by people wanting to clean my shoes, sell me overpriced postcards, snacks, photograph me and more. The only way to avoid them was to walk vigorously. I did get to see every corner of the park so I guess it was good in that way and memorable.

Judith Rostron, Killarney Heights, NSW

ASHES TO ASHES

My understanding is that ashtrays remain a legal requirement on aircraft (Traveller Letters, October 22) to deal with the occasional idiot who insists on lighting up in the toilet. An ashtray is one of the many measures to prevent fire hazards. If it's removed, then a passenger who, despite all reminders, warnings and regulations, still lights up in the toilet, could otherwise dispose of the used cigarette in the toilet paper bin or just flush it.

John McCartney, Mt Coolum, Qld

MEL CONTENT

Over recent weeks there have been many letters from people decrying their poor experiences at Melbourne airport and now Peter Butt (Traveller Letters, October 22) writes about how good landing at Heathrow was in comparison. I feel compelled to write in Melbourne's defence. I flew into MEL in September on a late evening flight with the airport admittedly not busy. I was out on the street 20 minutes after landing. Immigration and passport scanning was a breeze. My bags came out among the first on the belt and then there was no line to go through customs. I think the experience at any airport can vary as to the time one arrives and how busy it is.

Yvonne Quinn, Brighton, Vic

DRIVEN TO DESPAIR

I can only echo the disappointing Emirates business class "chauffeur drive" fiasco as described by your recent correspondent (Traveller Letters, October 22). Arriving back late at night from the UK in June as an older solo female, I was stunned to have a taxi voucher thrust into my hand with no explanation. The taxi was dirty and the driver insisted on a ranting monologue for the hour's drive - the last thing I needed after 24 hours in the air. This was not what my business class airfare was supposed to include. Emirates' reply to my letter of complaint was a brush-off. It cited "rare circumstances of high demand…" Clearly it's not a rare occurrence but it is an unacceptable one.

Penny Teutenberg, Parkdale, Vic

WE RATE EMIRATES

We have just returned from a trip to Europe on Emirates and we couldn't believe how smoothly and worry free the trip was .From the chauffeur pick up to Sydney Airport to our pick up again in Paris and Oslo we arrived at our destination refreshed and relaxed thanks to the amazing service of Emirates. The flights were flawless, the in-flight comfort was amazing and all flights and baggage arrived and left on time. We would definitely choose Emirates for future flights if we travel to Europe in the future.

Peter Davies, Canberra, ACT

TIP OF THE WEEK

THE BALI YOU'RE HAVING…

Over the past few years, we have been frequent travellers to Kuala Lumpur, as we had family living there, so I read with much interest your story on Malaysia (Traveller, October 23). I would like to add one more attraction to your list of things to do and see, that being the Islamic Arts Museum (iamm.org.my). Needing to kill some time while waiting for our train to the town of Butterworth, near Penang, we came upon the museum while walking around. We ended up spending about two hours there. It was absolutely fantastic with a great variety of exhibits. We were sorry we had to leave to get to the station to catch our train.

Lillian Hornby, Sans Souci, NSW

BRICK WORK

Legoland Malaysia (legoland.com.my), as mentioned briefly in your story, is often overlooked. A visit there is possible as a day trip from Singapore, either with a tour company or privately by taxi. Either way, it is worth the trip and a reasonably priced day outing for all the enjoyment it gives. Yes, it is in a different country from Singapore, but the border crossing is easily managed.

Marjie Williamson, Blaxland, NSW

IT'S SPLITSVILLE

I've just returned from two wonderful weeks in the south of the South Island of New Zealand. It was my third time there and little wonder it's so popular with its stunning landscapes and walks, great food and friendly people. Add to that hassle-free flying with Air New Zealand and Qantas. The big surprise was the fact that everywhere we went we could split our bills with ease. It didn't matter how complex or how many people, split bills are a Kiwi thing, just not in Australia.

Kate Bunker, Ainslie, ACT

PILLOW TALK

If you take your own pillow when you travel, put anything but a plain white pillowcase on it - the brighter the better. A quick glance around the room as you leave, and it stands out.

Chris Sinclair, West Pennant Hills, NSW

BARCELONA BAR NONE

I strongly disagree with Brian Johnston's comments about Barcelona (barcelonaturisme.com) in his story on Europe's underrated and overrated destinations (Traveller, October 16). My wife and I spent three busy days in Barcelona in 2019. We stayed at a delightful small hotel just off the Las Ramblas pedestrian street and opposite Boqueria Market. Even if you are not into architecture, the majesty of Gaudi's Basilica of the Sagrada Familia leaves you in awe. Other attractions include the Gothic Quarter, Park Guell, tapas and the city's beautiful sandy beach. Sure it is crowded but for a good reason - it is a fascinating place to visit.

Neil Mayo, Riverview, NSW

POWER TO THE PEOPLE

My tip for hotel room designers (Traveller Letters, October 22) is to include accessible powerpoints. These days we travel with a plethora of electronic devices, from phones to tablets to smart watches, all of which need regular charging. But on more occasions than I care to remember, I've had to resort to chasing the cord from the bedside lamp along the wall to its power source. This often involves pulling the bed out from the wall, and sliding my arm into the gap to plug in my trusty charger. Sadly, this then exacerbates the lighting issue raised previously by Debbie Weiner (Tipometer, October 2) as I have to unplug the bedside lamp in order to utilise the power point. I recently stayed in a hotel that had a power bank on the in room desk and never thought I'd be so excited to see a powerpoint. Perhaps this is a sign hotel designers are listening to their guests.

Melanie Hyde, Sutherland, NSW

HOW TO WRITE TO US

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The Letter of the Week writer wins Hardie Grant travel books worth more than $100. For November, that includes Ultimate Food and Drink Australia; Ultimate Caravan Trips Australia; and Neighbourhood Guide to Cycling Naarm-Melbourne.

See hardiegrant.com

The Tip of the Week writer wins a set of three great Lonely Planet travel books.

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