My first-class experience was a huge disappointment

Each week Traveller publishes a selection of rants, raves and travel tips from our readers. See below on how you can contribute.September 19, 2026 — 5:00amFirst things firstBritish Airways’ first class.We chose to fly British Airways first class for the first time, with expectations of great service and amazing food. Sadly it was a huge disappointment – the food was well below economy class, the seat was small and cramped. To make matters worse, we also faced a battle to be allowed into the first class lounge at Heathrow before our flight to Europe. We went through three gatekeepers (who all treated us with disdain). We felt very angry at their attitude, but we didn’t back down and eventually managed to use the lounge. Sadly, it did not compare to the wonderful Qantas first class lounge at Sydney.Eira Battaglia, Seaforth, NSWNovel approachPeter Bruegel’s The Fight Between Carnival and Lent.In regards to great paintings not to miss, some time ago I was travelling in Vienna and happened to be reading John Irving’s book The 158-Pound Marriage. One of the central themes of the book is the Peter Bruegel painting The Fight Between Carnival and Lent. This painting hangs in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, where I was able to view it and pick out the characters described by Irving. Amazing book, amazing piece of artwork.Michael Rayner, Blackburn North, VicSign up for the Traveller newsletterThe latest travel news, tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox. Sign up now.Swiss inefficiencyWe recently flew from Heathrow to Geneva in peak season. The new Electronic Entry System (EES) took forever, with everyone in the same long queue regardless of whether they were first-time entrants (requiring a photo and fingerprints) or not. Only about five of the dozen immigration counters were open, with some of those closing regularly as staff presumably took breaks.Friends making the same journey earlier had similarly lengthy waiting times. On departure a week later, the queues were similarly long, with many passengers stressing about potentially missing their flights. We would recommend that you allow plenty of time for the arrival and departure processes.Ingrid Latham, Mosman, NSWEditor’s note: The EU’s EES has faced many problems since it first rolled out in October last year. Just this week, the EU has allowed nine member countries to delay its implementation (beyond its latest September 14 deadline) yet again due to further problems. Platinum bondI am a Qantas Frequent Flyer member with two lounge invitations that can “be gifted to another member”. However, as of July 1, I cannot simply gift them – I must be on the same flight as the recipient. As a Platinum flyer, I can already invite two adults and two children under 17 into the domestic lounge, so these invitations, which don’t expire until April 2027, are useless. I’m sure Qantas wouldn’t like me to turn up to a busy lounge with four adults and two children in tow just so I can use the two extra invitations. It seems a very petty change to a rule that previously was a good advertisement for joining the program.Llewellyn Dickeson, Culburra BeachNorway my wayTromso, Norway.iStockWe travelled around Norway for three weeks a few years ago, including a week driving inside the Arctic Circle, from Tromso to Leknes through the Lofoten Archipelago. The drive was spectacular, the narrow roads in good condition and easy to navigate, with many pull-over areas for slow drivers and a maximum speed of 70km/h, often dropping to 50 or even 30. We were there in autumn. Earlier in the year, apparently, the roads are crowded, but we saw very little traffic and the weather was chilly but sunny. We stayed in picture-perfect, tiny, red-walled fisherman’s cottages along the coasts and food was pretty much limited to deer and dried cod, although some villages had a very welcome sushi bar. It was a wonderful, memorable time.Heather Barker, Albert Park, VicNorth starCairns International Airport deserves to be on our list of best airports, according to one reader.I enjoyed reading Ben Groundwater’s airport comparisons but was surprised to find no mention of Cairns. The airport has domestic and international departures adjacent to each other, linked by a covered walkway. While the international departure lounge is a bit lacking in dining and shopping options, you don’t need to spend long there. Its convenience to the city is a bonus, especially with a new shuttle bus. When we lived in Cairns, we once arrived at the airport and realised our suitcase handle was broken, so nipped back home to get another without breaking a sweat!Vicky Parker, Carlton, VicVouching for business classThere have been several letters recently complaining about Singapore Airlines. My husband and I have flown business class on Singapore Airlines and found it excellent. On our last flight, I had trouble with my tray table, which took crew about five minutes to fix. I was given a $100 voucher to spend in the KrisFlyer gift shop for my inconvenience! It seems the front end of the aircraft is getting preferential treatment.Barbara Ryan, Caringbah South, NSWDecent descentThere’s a crest on the Hume where my spine tingles with anticipation. After the steep northern ascent up Mount Glenrowan, I am about to see the expansive valley appear as I drive to Wangaratta, my childhood town. The descent into the valley is my happy place. To the east, red gums fringe the snaking King River, and on the horizon the majestic Bogong High Plains shimmer under an endless sky. I exhale, and a certain tension uncoils inside that only happens when I see this view. A smile is also a valley of sorts, and mine is vast.Dianne Filipenko, Bonbeach, VicHoly cannoliThere’s no need for writer Mark Chipperfield to return to Sicily for cannoli, as suggested by reader Marg Huxley. All he needs to do, when next in Rome, is head to Ristorante Quirino just near the Trevi Fountain, for cannoli that has the papal seal of approval. We dined there once and enquired about a photograph on the wall of a lady being received by Pope John Paul II. Turns out the lady was the restaurant’s owner, who happened to be there with us that night. She told us when the pope was a cardinal he often ate there, leaving room for what he called her “fabulous cannoli”. When he became pope, the restaurant regularly sent cannoli to the papal apartments. We felt very honoured when the owner presented us with a tray of holy cannoli. The restaurant is still there (though currently listed on Google as “temporarily closed”.)Tony Curtis, Fitzroy North, VicFriend in needRegarding last week’s letter about the difficulty of the Traveller Quiz, I’m “asking for a friend” who regularly scores eight or nine out of 15. Is it possible that your results data might be skewed due to some readers doing sneaky searches before answering? My “friend” is also terrible with flag colours, if we could include fewer of those, please.Tony Jeffs, Croydon, VicEastern promiseThe historic old town of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, overlooks the Sava River.iStockTwo summers ago, my wife and I set off through Eastern Europe and the Balkans with a modest budget and endless curiosity. We flew in shoulder season, booked months ahead, compared nearby airports, and slept in family-run guesthouses where hosts poured rakia (fruit brandy) at breakfast. Overnight buses quietly swallowed whole nights of accommodation. We lived like locals – burek in Belgrade, cevapi in Sarajevo’s Bascarsija, milk bars in Warsaw, mornings at Sofia’s Central Market – feasts cheaper than a coffee back home. We joined free walking tours, got lost in cobbled old towns, watched sunsets from castle walls, swam wild Adriatic coves, slipped into museums during free-entry hours. We walked everywhere. We splurged once per city – a boat, a dinner, a view – never 10 times. We dodged the traps: compared transfers, read menus first, changed money at reputable bureaux. Slower travel, we learned, is richer travel, and we’ll never forget it.Gary Levine, North Bondi, NSWShanghai tangMichael Gebicki’s item about Shanghai brought to mind a 2025 cruise which included Shanghai. Our Regent ship was small enough to get up river to the Bund area and a great benefit is the nightly multi-building light show. The Shanghai Tower is certainly a must-see, but get there early before the tour bus. And is if you choose a fresh juice on the ground floor, carefully check how much you are paying. Our two juices cost more than $200 and we realised this when it was too late to do anything about it.David Wakeley, North Ryde, NSW Fare enoughI wonder why my taxi fare from Southern Cross Station in Melbourne to my hotel in the top end of Bourke Street cost more than twice as much as my travelling companions who had arrived earlier in the day? My $38 fare did not include anything different from their $16 fare. Needless to say, I won’t be using the driver’s card, which he gave me with his number, for the return trip to the airport.L.A. Groblicka, Turramurra, NSW Sicily soloMark Chipperfield states, in his review of travelling around Sicily as part of an expensive tour group, that he visited places “impossible to do as a solo traveller.” I recently spent three weeks in Sicily as an independent traveller visiting every location in Chipperfield’s review and many more. I can assure others planning a similar trip that there is absolutely no need to join a tour group as trains, buses and the occasional short taxi trip were easy to organise and plan itineraries around. I also did a side trip to three of the Aeolian islands, again easily accessible using public ferries.John Varley, Abbotsford, Vic Mosaic my dayOne more point regarding travel to Naples and surrounds (Tripologist Q&A, August 21) is that there are no artefacts left on-site at Pompeii – they are all in the Naples Museum to which a visit is an absolute must. There is an entire floor of mosaics in the museum salvaged from Pompeii and they are truly amazing. While there was less jewellery than I would have expected, there were lots of glass objects and so much more to occupy the visitor for several hours. A definite plus in any itinerary.Susan Rowe, Epping, NSW From our partners