Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, Something needs to be done about energy companies. They have too much advantage over customers. Customers can be exploited. The structures of deals need to be simpler. The products should be one charge for the purchase, instead of a tier system.
When they offer to sell their products they should declare the price they are selling the products for, instead of asking what price you are paying to some other company. If I go into a shop, the price of a product is declared.
When a company wants your custom they offer a fixed deal, which appears good, but they do not declare the price of their units. When the fixed deal is finished they do not inform you that you have been put on a different deal.
A Hydro Electric salesman arranged a deal for me and when I received the contract it was a different deal, which was to my disadvantage. ScottishPower put me on a deal after my fixed one was finished, without informing me what my options were.
It is difficult ‘over the phone’ to keep everything in one’s mind that is being conveyed for a deal. Companies should send written account of deals for prospective customers, so that such can be studied before a decision is made, and also comparisons can be made with other offers.
There needs to a resource for customers where advice about what energy companies are offering is available, so that customers are able to work out what is the best deal available.
Charles Knox.61 Demondale Road,Arbroath.
Fares concern for city council
Sir, Neil Kennedy’s letter, ‘It’s little wonder there are fewer passengers’, draws attention to what must be a very important factor in the decline of passengers through Dundee Airport the airlines’ pricing policies.
It is a situation which must concern the city council, the Chamber of Commerce and the airport operator. Mr Kennedy drew attention to the difference in fares on CityJet flights between London City to Edinburgh and London City to Dundee. Using Dundee Airport costs twice as much.
CityJet is not alone. FlyBe has been advertising a January Sale offering Belfast City to Dundee fares at £40.99 and Belfast City to Edinburgh fares at £26.99.
As ‘FlyBe planes fly’, there can’t be much difference in the distances involved!
David Tennant.Cambustay Gardens,Dundee.
No surprise numbers down
Sir, I read your recent article with interest as I am a frequent flyer from Dundee to London City Airport.
It came as no surprise to me that passenger numbers are down as since Air France/CityJet took over Scotairways they have consistently reduced the service both in terms of numbers and times of flights.
In particular there is no longer an option to be in London for a 09:30 appointment (a flight which was used by the NHS in particular).
In addition, whilst booking in advance can produce reasonable fares, if required to book at short notice, as I often am, the cost is prohibitive and they appear not to realise that it is not practical to pay over £400 to fly from Dundee when you can fly from Edinburgh for less than half of that including parking etc.
For example, I was quoted just over £400 to fly down next week but I am going first class by train for slightly more than half of the cost. I am losing half a day by doing so but this is compensated for by virtue of being able to work comfortably on the journey including free broadband.
It is also interesting to note that the website shows ”last few seats available” when the reality is that the plane will be half full at best.
Brian Jakobsen.2 Balmyle Road,Broughty Ferry,Dundee.
Overruled by kangaroo court
Sir, After the ruling from the General Teaching council of Scotland in relation to former teacher Mike Barile, I have to ask if there is any other democratic country which allows the Court of Law to be overruled by what is nothing more than a kangaroo court.
Mr Barile was given an absolute discharge from the Scottish Court of Appeal yet the GTC decided not to accept the ruling of law but instead set up their own trial of Mr Barile. This sounds very much like the days of the Witchfinder General.
I believe that Mr Barile has moved on with his life and found alternative employment away from teaching therefore I can see no reason whatsoever for the GTC to have continued with this charade unless for personal reasons, thereby the outcome was decided before the hearing began.
Perhaps the GTC can tell us how much this witch hunt has cost the tax payer and when it will be taking the same action against the incompetent teachers who are presently failing our children in the class room.
Allan Petrie.109 Blacklock Crescent,Dundee.
A very simple, sensible question
Sir, In an effort to get away from all the bickering that has been going on over the question of Scotland separating from the UK here is a simple and sensible question.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is based in Swansea and TV Licensing is based in Bristol. Where would the separate Scottish equivalents be based, how many additional civil servants would be required to run them and what would the setup costs be to the Scottish taxpayer?
Donald Gatt.17 Land Street,Rothes, Moray.
Get involved: to have your say on these or any other topics, email your letter to letters@thecourier.co.uk or send to Letters Editor, The Courier, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL.