Travel troubles

Dear Echo News,

I read with interest the Consumer Protection Refunds, returns, repairs and gift cards: know your rights (Echo News, January 19) relating to vouchers and gift cards.

Working in the travel industry I regularly have clients lose considerable amounts of money due to the restricted validity of their airline tickets.

Airlines set the validity of a ticket at 12 months from the date of purchase, even when travellers are paying months in advance for their tickets.

The majority of consumers are aware they need to book well ahead of their travel date, particularly for holiday periods, to secure an acceptable price for the journey.

For example, tickets purchased January 13, 2023, for travel on August 13, 2023 – the airline has those funds for seven months prior to providing the service and they are non-refundable.

Sometimes, unforeseen circumstances occur, and the client isn’t able to travel on the booked date and are unable to commit to a new date for any number of reasons.

The airlines rules are that travel must be taken before 13 January 2024.

How is that the airlines are not taken to task for making the validity 12 months from the purchase date and not 12 months from the date of original travel (at least).

Retailers are required to have an expiry period of at least three years on vouchers and gift cards.

Isn’t the airline holding the client’s cash to provide a service and shouldn’t they be required to give the consumer a reasonable amount of time to claim that service?

Sincerely, tired of seeing clients lose substantial sums of money when they find themselves unable to travel on their original date.

E Morris

Gooseberry Hill

Unwanted retic

removal

Dear Echo News, St Swithuns Anglican Church of Kalamunda and Lesmurdie is a Western Australian heritage listed church located on Lesmurdie Road and has been in use since 1910.

It is estimated that sometime between 4pm Friday, January 19 and 7am Sunday, January 21, a person has entered the church property.

They proceeded to cut the PVC pipe to the reticulation, cutting the wiring to the four solenoids located on a herring bone piping system as well as cutting the outlet piping then removing the lot, including a large green heavy duty reticulation cover box.

They did have the consideration to turn off the mains water tap to the system – thanks!

I fully understand the many difficult situations many people are facing at this time, however for someone to be so uncaring to steal items valued at a few hundred dollars and readily available at local hardware or reticulation shops, leaves me sad and shattered for this to occur in our community.

The bush garden area is designated as a memorial garden and the ashes of many former parishioners are there.

There is a bird bath and also a bench seat which is regularly used by those seeking solace and peace with nature.

We are indeed fortunate to live in this region, and yet so sad that in our midst are people who can steal some watering infrastructure which helps maintain that beauty, especially during the summer months.

Areas such as this have been provided and cared for by donations and voluntary work of local residents – again, so sad and disrespectful.

The matter has been reported.

B Colegate

Lesmurdie