From Rowan Fothergill
You draw attention to the need for better ventilation on passenger planes during outbreaks of diseases such as SARS (19 March, p 15). When smoking was permitted on aircraft, cabin air was circulated and replaced to a far greater extent than at present. Banning smoking on aircraft in effect greatly reduced the air quality, as airlines took advantage of every cost-cutting measure available in order to bring us the low cost of air travel we have today.
A few more pounds on an air ticket is a very small price to pay when compared with the potential impact of human-transmissible SARS travelling around the world in less than 24 hours.
Birmingham, UK
