Letters to the Travel Editor
On the up Dear Sir, I saw Elisabeth Easther’s article [“Ups and Downs of Travel”, Travel, March 27] and recognised Fortunately. It was given to me for Christmas in 1974. I used to drive my family crazy as I could recite the book off by heart. Hope Elisabeth had as much fun annoying her family!
“Fortunately one day Ned got a letter that said ‘Please come to a surprise party’
“Unfortunately the party was in Florida and he was in New York . . . ”
Hope you always land on a fortunately page. Sarah Withell The down low Dear Sir, I noticed in your article entitled the “Ups and Downs of Travel” [ Travel, March 27] there is a mention of an airline wanting to cancel all ensuing flights on a ticket if the traveller had to change a single flight on their trip.
I have heard mention of this and wondered how and why the airline spin doctors justify this. I wonder also if they give refunds if they do this. I suspect I know the answer to the second part of this question! Paul Hicks Warkworth Picture / Getty Images The Travel Editor replies: If you miss the first leg of a return flight, airlines cancel the rest of the flights to avoid passengers buying returns that are cheaper than single flight tickets. So, yup: Money. Bugging him Dear Sir, I really enjoy your weekly “Travel Bugs”. One of my favourite “bugs” involves the situation of the boarding gates. Does a “Number 1” boarding ever gate exist at any airport? If so I have never seen it. In all my travels I have never experienced a “Number 1” boarding gate at any of the big international airports, as my boarding gate is usually number 56 of 57 gates. I once was allocated number 3 boarding gate, and I could not believe my luck — but then the gate number was changed to number 52 which necessitated a breathless sprint down to the new gate, arriving just in time. Another time we were held up at “security” (a major “bug” at any airport) and when we eventually emerged there were only five minutes left before the gates closed. The gate number? Number 39.
Just one complaint. Some writers neglect to mention the cost involved in their flights, whereas others do include the costs. If your readers are to be fully informed. I would have thought that the costs involved would be of major interest to readers.
Otherwise, your magazine is most informative. Best wishes, Johan Slabbert, Warkworth All roads Dear Sir, I just want to add my two cents to what must be a flood of emails like mine regarding the story “Playing it by ear in Prague” in [last Tuesday’s] Travel magazine.
In the little inset box “CHECKLIST”, I see you helpfully identify where Rome is — with no indication of Prague — is this to make the trip more interesting? Cheers, David Shannon The Travel Editor replies: Wrong map. My bad.