The Editor, Sir:

I view with absolute disgust, annoyance and amazement the pending "restructuring of our national airline". I can think of many Jamaicans who could run that airline for half the income that these so-called experts earn. While I am in total agreement that the airline is overstaffed, cancelling routes just cannot be the answer.

How in heavens name is it that the very routes that formed the airline are being cancelled, while the American-owned airlines fly dutifully and profitably on the very same routes that Air Jamaica developed, only God can tell. Is there a plan afoot for Air Jamaica to build these routes and as soon as they become profitable they are sold? Who are the beneficiaries here?

The losers

I can safely say who the losers are and clearly, they are the poor workers who, after labouring tirelessly over the years to build the airline, have become the scapegoats. Once again the question is: Who are the beneficiaries?

Every government falls in the same trap and my suggestion to the Government of the day is to get an independent party to audit the routes, separate and apart from what the foreigners are telling us lest we tread the same path of the London route.

My questions to the Government of the day are:

1. Why cancel the Miami route and not reduce the flights to the core flights that made the airline, an early morning flight, a mid-day flight and a late evening flight?

2. Why cancel the Los Angeles flights when it can be reduced to once per week to maintain JM's presence while affording the traveling public the flexibility to connect to other gateways as in the days of former glory?

3. Why cancel the Atlanta flight when they can fly once per day as in the days of former glory?

4. What happens when these American-owned airlines think that the routes are not profitable as in the case of the Chicago route? Many may not know this, but they just pulled the flights and once again the traveling public was left stranded.

This seems to me like a clear case of rape. Please do not get me wrong, I firmly believe that the restructuring should take place and downsizing should take place to save the airline; but Air Jamaica can be profitable without cancelling routes and hiding. There are good management decisions that can be made and that is what our precious national airline needs.

I am asking the minister in charge to do the right thing and get some good Jamaican shakers before it becomes a comedy of errors that we all will regret. I again ask - who benefits when Air Jamaica is absent from all the routes that dedicated staff members worked so tirelessly to build with much pride and love? Your guess is as good as mine. I ask the minister to think again.

I am, etc.,

CONCERNED CITIZEN

Kingston