Your views

Over the last four days, agents of the Ministry of Tourism have been using gestapo-like tactics to catch out those nasty criminals who rent out their apartments to holiday-makers from time to time.

Although they give a welcome boost to the local economy at this late stage of the season, these guests are persona non grata as far as the short-sighted Majorcan government is concerned, for they stay in accommodation that is not – and cannot be – properly licenced. Investigators have been going door-to-door, knocking at all times of the day at various apartment-blocks in Puerto Portals, flapping their ID and then annoyingly interrogating the guests in an attempt to have them divulge information about how they made their bookings, how long they’re staying, whether they did it on the internet or not, if they have people coming in to clean and even if someone does their ironing for them.

This is crazy behaviour. These guests, often very elderly at this time of the year, are frightened out of their skins and one couple have already vowed never to return to the island if this is the kind of welcome they get once here.

Name withheld by request

l

Dear Sir,

In Sunday’s Majorcan Tit Bits Richard Chew refers to "Red Tape Turbulence" in flight delay claims. He is too kind. In my personal experience the "extraordinary circumstances" initially claimed by the airline were knowingly false. I have had all of my 5 claims upheld for a total of 3600€. All, I hasten to add, on behalf of friends. Last month I had adjudication against Ryanair but compensation has not been paid – yet!

The EU comes in for a lot of stick but its regulation dating from 2004 does aid delayed passengers. The airlines’ bitter opposition to EU 261/2004 is very understandable.

Suppose passengers book a flight from Gatwick to Palma and paying 50€ each on a Boeing 707 filling it with 150 people aboard.

If it arrives 3 hours late these travellers could be entitled to 250€ each – a total cost of 37500€ doubled for the Palma/Gatwick return leg.

This a net loss of 60000€ on this circuit plus more losses if later schedules are equally disrupted. But that’s a problem for the company’s balance sheet what about the poor passengers?

Richard is correct for complainers to expect delays. Typically airlines will not reply to complaints until the likes of consumer agencies are called in. Then, in my cases, make false claims of bad weather or Air Traffic restrictions not easy to refute and often accepted at face value by the general traveller. My first complaint dating from 2009 eventually went to court here in Palma this July when Iberia settled out of court 4 days before the hearing.

You may imagine that my complaints to them of late are now handled much more rapidly. He refers to the UK authority - the CCA, but the flights go between 2 countries so 2 agencies can be involved. My experience with the Spanish AESA is much better than he reports for the CAA and they also can correspond in English. One drawback is that Spanish small claims courts do pay cover costs for claims under 2000€ even if you win but that can be easily resolved in an out of court settlement.

Many of my friends’ poo poo the idea of complaining as a waste of time. Even my 100% success rate does not lift their scepticism.

For any others my phone number is in the directory and, to repeat, I do it for the pleasure of bringing these inconsiderate companies to book.

Mike Lillico

Playa de Palma

Holiday Rentals

l

Dear Sir,

The interrogation of guests in apartments beggars belief. Does Majorca want holiday trade or not? This summer I rented a privately owned apartment in the South of France.

There were over two hundred advertised in the resort where I stayed - three hundred in the resort next door, all on a popular rental website.

The bars cafes and restaurants were thriving. The shops and tourist attractions were packed out. It seemed as though most people ate and drank out, bringing business to the whole area.

Contrast that with the state of bars and cafes here - the majority now half empty most evenings with some closed and given up altogether.

Yours faithfully

J Howard

l

Dear Sir,

So, reading the letter from name withheld by request, it appears that the insane Dept of Turismo have finally really reached rock-bottom in their treatment of paying guests to this once-welcoming island!

Warning apartment-owners that they are breaking some antiquated laws is one thing but banging on doors and terrorising elderly visitors is another.

I am writing to the English press today in the hope that they pick up on this, so as to get a warning out there to everyone coming to Majorca to be prepared and not to open the door to anyone - and if they are confronted by some shady-looking FBI-type character to turn the argument around and ensure the creep goes away fully aware that what is going on here is just plain wrong and such very bad publicity.

James Brent

Bendinat