I am writing regarding your brief report on the death penalty against Sudan Airways ruled by the United Nations Security Council on 8 October (Airline Business, November). One can only be saddened to see that small third world airlines can actually vanish altogether through actions that are only possible against the weak.
These draconian measures are issued by the Security Council against weak airlines of weak nations only because this industry is very visible. It is not because the airlines themselves have done anything wrong, nor because these measures achieve what is claimed to be their aim.
Several examples of such sanctions are now current. Of course, such measures are unimaginable against airlines of stronger nations should their governments be accused of breaking away from civilised conduct.
Airlines are vehicles of peace and interaction between peoples. It is wrong to destroy such vehicles of peace in the name of fighting terrorism. That the airlines are owned by governments does not change these carriers' peaceful role.
I find it difficult to see the adequacy of UN Security Council sanctions against these weak airlines, while the UN have set up a special commission to help these fragile airlines join the newly developing trends in the international airline business and international civil aviation.
Dr A B Marghani
London, England.
Source: Airline Business