The Editor, Sir:

The bottom line regarding who and what is right in the American Airline deal supported by the minister of tourism and other tourism interests is this:

1) Is it a good deal for Jamaica to subsidise an airline if the market conditions are as good as are being projected and supported by the tourism interests? Will this not encourage other airlines to use similar tactics in order to keep servicing the island?

2) The American Airlines routes that are being protected are Chicago, Miami and Detroit which are offering competition to Air Jamaica, the subsidised national airline which services two of these areas and needs the market.

Move is puzzling

This move is puzzling if, as is said, the market demands have increased with the addition of so many new hotel rooms.

There are many more puzzling points, but the bottom line is why is this subsidy necessary and whose responsibility is it to ensure the servicing after these rooms are built?

The Spanish hotel systems provided their own charter flights. Is it beyond the realms of reality that the Jamaican hotel and tourism sectors could do the same and provide support for the struggling much-needed national airline and not depend on tax-generated funding which could be used for much more useful projects?

The facts are that Air Jamaica provides over half of the arrivals now and American Airlines provides a much smaller number. These facts can be easily verified.

The Sandals chain is now offering free travel on American Airlines for persons who book their packages. Does the same apply to those who choose to use Air Jamaica?

I am, etc.,

AWAITING ANSWERS

Manchester