Letters: A wee gripe on her Scotland account

As a Scotsman, I appreciate Rosemary McClure’s article on Scotland [“A Toast to High Spirits,” July 11]. The “wild places” can speak to her Scots heritage. People from Scotland are Scots.

Della Kerr and Clan Kerr, Costa Mesa

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Although not a Scotch drinker, I thoroughly enjoyed McClure’s article on Scotland.

Many years ago my family and I, led by my grandmother, a native of Edinburgh, spent several weeks exploring Scotland. I plan to take my husband there someday and show him this amazing country.

Mona Evans, Marina del Rey

Flying fragrant skies over Gilroy

Not to worry about the success of the Gilroy Garlic Festival [“Smells Like Gilroy Is the Place to Party,” by Scott Martelle, July 11]. Airline pilots flying far overhead for years have commented on the distinctive smell of the Gilroy community as they wing between Los Angeles and San Francisco. No truer bench mark exists than the one made by contrails above.

Kyle Kimbrell, Playa del Rey

Carry-ons conundrum

The Federal Aviation Administration takes advantage of people who want to take their pets onboard. The last time I brought my 15-pound terrier with me on Delta, it was $150 each way. It was completely outrageous, but, of course, I paid it!

Meanwhile, the couple next to me had an infant and wasn’t charged a cent (kids up to age 2 fly free). My dog had to sit in a carrier, placed under the seat in front of me. The airline does not provide anything for my dog, yet somehow they’re able to get away with charging the price of a human ticket.

Stephanie Tencza, Sherman Oaks

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My daughter and I left Venice, Italy, on Delta on July 9 for a trip to LAX, changing planes in Atlanta to another Delta flight. Our baggage was checked through to LAX.

After inspections and screening in Venice, we bought a few things at the duty-free area, including a bottle of Italian liquor my daughter was bringing to a friend. This package, along with miscellaneous other items, was placed in her carry-on.

At Atlanta, we cleared customs, but the Transportation Security Administration screening caught the bottle and confiscated it. We explained that we had bought it at Delta’s facility at Marco Polo Airport in Venice after clearing procedures and that we and the luggage were straight through to LAX. Tough. No recourse.

This was not an attempt on our part to breach security. If the bottle could have been sequestered in the luggage, it would have been. I think this is a rip-off; I also think the TSA thing approaches irrationality.

Richard Jennings, Bakersfield