In a letter published across several Australian newspapers, Brisbane-based Greg Chalmers said he and his wife, both Qantas Platinum frequent flyers, were flying first class from Brisbane to London via Sydney. Concerned about a 90-minute transit time in Sydney, Chalmer asked to be moved to an earlier flight. When no business class seats were available, he requested a downgrade to economy. The airline refused.
Chalmers ended up flying the evening before at a cost of an extra $900 plus overnight accommodation, despite holding what he said were “fully flexible” tickets. He praised the performance of airline staff but expressed frustration at the policy.
Other letters covered a range of travel topics. Georg Robers described Almaty, Kazakhstan, as a “stunning natural environment” with prices at least 50 per cent less than Australia, and said tourists from India, China and Russia are already numerous. Doctor Steve Trumble recalled being recognised by a pilot who had been his patient as a child, now flying an A380. David Long warned of a scam via Booking.com through WhatsApp, where fraudsters mimicked the website and requested credit card details. Long said the hotel's response was “imadequate” and noted that Booking.com says it never uses WhatsApp. Mark Hubert endorsed a trip to Japan’s subtropical Okinawwan islands, praising the crew’s calmness. Barbara Gale recounted having a near-empty toothpaste tube confiscated at Melbourne Airport because it weighed 110 grams. Sue Collins recommened cycling in South Korea, praising infrastructure and a tour company.