Don't penalise the passenger for Swanwick overrun

Sir - I refer to the article "Swanwick delays cost CAA dearly" (Flight International, 31 July-1 August, P15).

If Loral is big enough to pick up the cost of the overrun, so, therefore, must be the UK Civil Aviation Authority. The idea of charging a passenger levy to cover its inability to plan things properly is just not on.

Does the CAA pay industry when it has problems, or even pay the passengers when there is an air-traffic-control strike? Of course it does not, so why should we bail them out?

RICHARD DAWNAY

REGISTERED AVIATION CONSULTANT

Snaebell Aviation Design

Sandown, Isle of Wight, UK

Source: Flight International