I lost 196,000 Virgin points because I didn’t receive ‘marketing’ emails

Terminal Velocity

Last week I logged on to my Velocity account and was surprised to see that my points balance was showing as zero. I was planning to use my balance of 196,000 points to book a rewards flight to the UK for the summer. I contacted Velocity, and they said my points had expired because I had not redeemed or accrued any points in 24 months.

Virgin Australia Velocity points expire after 24 months of no activity on your account.Credit: Getty Images

I asked why I hadn’t received any notice about the expiry (their website says that members will receive a notification in advance of expiry). Velocity told me that because I’d opted out of receiving promotion and marketing emails they did not send a notification email. As I told Velocity, a warning about a substantial number of points expiring is not, in my view, a promotion or marketing communication. Be careful Velocity members.
Stewart McKechnie, St Kilda, Vic

Letter of the week: Urge to splurge

Copenhagen dining – quality counts.Credit: Alamy

My wife and I recently stayed at Copenhagen’s Absalon Hotel, and while we did enjoy communal lunches at popular hotspots such as Saltimporten Canteen (Traveller, February 6), we figured if we had travelled that far, it would be pompously parsimonious not to also try as many Michelin-starred restaurants as we could afford. I’m glad we did. It wasn’t just the country’s best chefs, the region’s best food and the city’s best rooms that we’ll remember forever, but the brilliant service and amazing conversations we had with the gregarious staff you tend to encounter in Michelin restaurants such as Franzen in Copenhagen and Maaemo in Oslo. The suggestion that “connection” is “a luxury you won’t find on any Michelin-starred menu” could thus be only believed by those who have never been to one. Sometimes travel isn’t just about ticking the cheapest options off a list.
Chris Roylance, Paddington, QLD

Separation anxiety

We’ve been loyal customers of China Airlines [the state-owned flag carrier of Taiwan] for more than 10 years, but our recent experience was appalling. My wife, nine-year-old daughter and I booked flights from Sydney to Taiwan six months ago, departing on New Year’s Eve. Despite booking so early, China Airlines seated our young child far from us on all four flight legs, including two nine-hour overnight flights. Repeated phone calls and emails to address this were met with the same response: “Seats cannot be changed, it’s our policy.” Or, “the flight is full, we can’t move anyone”.

They tried to blame us for not selecting seats properly, though we had done so long ago. Somehow, our selections were changed, and their inflexible policy ignored our concerns about our child’s welfare. At check-in, there was no resolution. Onboard, I asked the cabin crew to assist, as our daughter’s seat was well out of our sight. Though I was assured she would be cared for, she was not. She repeatedly sought help but was ignored. She even attempted to retrieve her iPad from the overhead compartment herself, a risky action no child should take.

We are flying back next week, and our daughter, now seated between strangers, well away from mum, is anxious and stressed. The welfare of children should never take second place to convenience.
Mark Hardy, Seaforth, NSW

Sounds fishy

In relation to the article about fast food across the globe (Traveller, February 5). I have a recommendation from Germany and Austria. Nordsee has been around since 1896 and can be found in many towns and cities. They sell all kinds of delicious and affordable fish meals and snacks, including a yummy herring bread roll for only a few euros. Look for the queues.
Christine Watson, Baulkham Hills, NSW

Funny business

I was booked on a business class flight from Sydney to Christchurch with Qantas. Upon checking in, I was rudely told I was not entitled to access to the business/first class lounge as I did not have a Qantas Frequent Flyer membership. Particularly annoying was the fact that my flight was running four hours late. My return from Wellington to Sydney was also business class, but there was no such problem and I enjoyed the lovely atmosphere in the business lounge.
Kerry Gunn, Bundanoon NSW

Editor’s note: Read more about different business class entitlements in Michael Gebicki’s column here.

Hit the wall

I spent a couple of weeks in China last year (Traveller, January 31) and it’s a fascinating destination to visit. However you won’t be able to buy a sim card at an airport or at a convenience store, nor will you be able to access any of the websites you take for granted such as Google. As mentioned in the article, this is due to the “Great Firewall of China”. I was unable to get my global roaming operating and couldn’t use Google over the hotel Wi-Fi to diagnose the problem. Alipay is accepted everywhere and cash can be used fairly easily. I’d recommend getting your devices sorted and all the apps you need downloaded before leaving Australia. I’d also suggest using a VPN, but you’ll need to find one that can burrow through that Great Firewall.
David Farrell, Erskineville, NSW

Buried treasures

The top of St. Peter’s Basilica offers great views, but it’s worth trying to see what’s beneath it too.Credit: iStock

One could add the tour of the Roman necropolis under St Peter’s Basilica to Brian Johnston’s Seven Wonders within the Vatican City guide (Traveller, February 4). Known as the Scarvi, the ancient site is said to be the burial place of St Peter. Unfortunately, the tight space only allows for small groups so it is important to book well in advance. Tours are in multiple languages.
Brian Lucas, North Sydney, NSW

Going to the chapel

Your Vatican City feature brought back memories of my visit last May. I can highly recommend a series of YouTube videos titled “Rome Wise” in which an American woman, who has lived in Italy for a long time, gives practical information regarding travel in Italy. I followed her recommendations regarding being the first visitors of the day to the Sistine Chapel. I bought Vatican tickets online exactly 60 days out and got the 8am tickets. As soon as we were admitted to the Vatican, we hurried up the stairs, following her directions and were the first to go into the Sistine Chapel at 8.30am. It was fabulous to sit at the side with so few people, and listen to the audio guide. At that time, I think the guards outnumbered the visitors. We were then able to back track and visit the rest of the Vatican.
Christine Bentley, Goulburn, NSW

Tip of the week: Take a peak

Mount Fuji views and the two-day Hakone Freepass.Credit: iStock

Travelling to Hakone seemed like a good idea, as a day trip from Tokyo to see the countryside with a bonus view of Mount Fuji from the train. Our search for day trips had come up with the option to use the Hakone Freepass, a two-day travel pass to this region. It was somewhat tricky but our persistence paid off. Each pass had to be downloaded individually on our phones and we had to co-ordinate our tickets to ensure we had the same carriage and sat next to each other (on the right- hand side) for views of Mount Fuji. The passes cannot be activated until the day of departure, which gave some anxiety on whether they would download. This step went easily, but travellers need to have adequate charge on their phones for the day, otherwise access to the pass will be lost. We travelled on a bus, pirate ship, two cable cars and a historical train. There are queues at each stop, so allow plenty of time to experience the sights which include the lake, sulphur pits and various galleries.
Fouli Christmann, Northcote, Vic

Tromso far from so-so

What a surprise Tromso, Norway, is proving to be during our short stay here. Gateway to the Arctic Circle and known as the “Paris of the North” we are stunned by the breathtaking views of mountains and water. A highlight was the evening trip on the Fjellheisen cable car to Storsteinen Mountain, 421 metres above sea level. And then there are numerous shops, restaurants, museums, bookshops, a film culture centre, and of course, the glorious Northern Lights if you are lucky. A bucket-list destination.
Rhoda Silber, Manly, NSW

Dorm raiders

One “hostel” missing from your story (Traveller, February 2) is The People Paris Nation. Its rooms and dormitories are very reasonably priced at about €130 ($215) for a double with fabulous views over Paris and under €30 ($49) a person for a bunk in one of the dorms. The cafeteria/bar on the top floor can be visited by non-residents and has spectacular views to the Eiffel Tower.
Katharine Stevenson, Pyrmont, NSW

Hop away

I would like to strongly endorse Peter Miniutti’s advice (Traveller Letters, February 1) to avoid the hop-on, hop-off bus in Malta. With some trepidation we boarded a hot, overcrowded and unroadworthy bus a few years back. We disembarked at the first beach stop and had an enjoyable dip, but on our return to the bus stop, we encountered a large queue of disgruntled fellow travellers, some of whom complained to have been waiting for over an hour. By the time we managed to board another bus, it was time to return home.
John Ryan Brighton East, Vic

Punnet intended

In response to Leeann Abbott’s letter, the reason that the punnet of strawberries in Paris was so expensive in November is that it was well past prime strawberry season in France (roughly March to July-August). Produce purchased out-of-season anywhere will always be expensive. And one of the joys of shopping at farmers’ markets, especially in regional France, is that you are often purchasing from “les maraichers”, that is, directly from the farmer. From personal experience, cash is still king for those folks.
Judith Manion, Strathfield, NSW

Package mentality

To limit the weight of our luggage while travelling through various seasons, we used local postal services to mail clothing back to Australia, such as winter clothes no longer needed and gifts bought. I’ve sent six packages over four months, and they all arrived. Sure beat carrying the extra weight and paying for excess baggage.
Linda Berry, Toolijooa, NSW

Dearest diaries

Like Irene Charles (Traveller Letters, February 1), I too keep a diary of each trip. Now with more than 60 years of diaries they are a great memory. It is amazing how they trigger memories. At my wife’s suggestion I now add boarding passes, maps, restaurant cards, menus from at least one meal each cruise and tickets to give the work some colour. It is a slight chore after a busy day but well worth the effort years later. We encouraged our young children when travelling to do the same. Now they have their children do an electronic diary.
Lindsay Somerville, Lindfield, NSW

The Letter of the Week writer wins three Hardie Grant travel books. See hardiegrant.com

The Tip of the Week writer wins a set of three Lonely Planet travel books. See shop.lonelyplanet.com