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Germany’s Deutsche Bahn rail system is not what it used to be, wrote a Traveler reader this week. Photo: iStock ICE IS NOT VERY HOT The once mighty Deutsche Bahn (German Rail), a symbol of punctuality, reliability and other German stereotypes, has fallen into a heap of ruin. Weekend trips on the main Berlin-Kologne route on DB’s flagship high-speed ICE had our trains canceled on the way there and again on the way back. For the latter, passengers are advised to board the next highly booked ICE, which is then completely overloaded. The highlight of the glory was the announcement that the train would not depart until people had unconditionally disembarked, and if not, the federal police would be called in to clean the train. Avoid as much as possible. Carsten Roever, Brunswick, Vic THIS WEEK’S LETTER AGE AGE In response to Lee Tulloch’s column ( Traveler July 9 ), in 2021, my wife and I will be attending a family reunion at Airlie Beach. When we tried to rent a car, we fo

Qantas has come under fire for outsourcing its baggage handling services during the pandemic. Photo: Phil Carrick JOYCE CHOICE Traveling recently in the evening on Virgin Australia’s very late and delayed arrival from Melbourne, I ran into several baggage handlers on the shuttle bus to the parking lot which may have explained one reason for the baggage issue. All had worked for Qantas and lost their jobs. All rehired by [the aviation services company] Swissport after a period of no work, although some accepted Jobkeepers. They have nothing good to say about unfaithfulness and lost benefits and more. Has Alan Joyce plucked his golden goose? Paul Gerrard, Kellyville, NSW SELLING HARD If Qantas is to step up its game, it has to stop whipping wine, insurance, health care and who knows what else and focus solely on its air travel business. John Swanton, Coogee, NSW THIS WEEK’S LETTER GO IN 60 SECONDS Sue Williams article “the art of deceiving a con man” ( Traveler July 9 )

Bubble wrap…don’t leave the house without it. Photo: iStock THAT’S PACK Since I work and travel around Southeast Asia, often staying in budget hotels, I’ve packed bubble wrap. It has many uses, such as ensuring a precious piece of porcelain goes home intact but is also great for sliding under doors to block out light or noise. Crimped, it can serve as an additional neck rest. Tina Faulk, Gladesville, NSW OPEN AND CLOSE CASES Given the increasing number of lost bags, a tip I read a few years ago might help. The last thing you should put in your bag, in order to be above all else, is a piece of A4 paper with your name, destination address and contact details, both phone and email. That way, if your bag gets lost, when the airline folks open the bag they have all the information they need. It’s a simple thing and can save you a lot of anxiety (although, thankfully, I haven’t needed it, so far). Ron Wessel, Mount St Thomas, NSW DRY IDEA Regarding your request for tips on

One reader was unimpressed by a recent visit to the Hilton Rome Fiumicino Airport. Photo: Alamy THIS WEEK’S LETTER CRIME OF ROME I’m at my hotel waiting for my Qantas flight tomorrow morning from Rome to Sydney via Perth. It seemed like a good idea to spend the last two months in the UK and Italy sitting poolside at the airport, especially since tomorrow’s flight requires an early check-in. Why didn’t I check Tripadvisor? The check-in queue at the hotel (yes, the hotel, not the airport) took two hours. For the next 24 hours we couldn’t get internet, our television required the mini-bar to be removed to turn it on, the restaurant was so full we couldn’t be fed, room service hung up on us 20 times so we went to bed without eating and we were then locked out of our rooms because the computer didn’t notice that we were staying for two nights. This is not a two star hotel in the center of Rome but the Airport Hilton which has a monopoly on the airport. Even Basil Fawlty wo