Clearing the Air Again

Paul Dean’s thought-provoking article covered many aspects of the problem, but omitted one possible solution: having separate smoker and non-smoker flights, at least on heavily traveled routes where there are many departures every day. This should solve the problem of people trying to slip into restrooms to seek their tobacco pleasures.

With problems stemming from the deregulation of airlines, it has been suggested more passengers will use Amtrak. The single-level trains between Los Angeles and San Diego are logically arranged with each car in its entirety designated as a smoker or non-smoker.

But, for some strange reason, Amtrak has a different policy on its long-distance trains like the Coast Starlight, Southwest Chief and Desert Wind, all of which are double-level. The last few rows of each car are labeled as smoking areas. Immediately behind these rows are intakes for the ventilation system which recycles the smoke through the entire car. Logical?

Why shouldn’t Amtrak have all smokers in some cars? It seems strange that one U.S. agency, Amtrak, chooses to ignore the warnings of another, the U.S. Surgeon General, especially when it would be so very easy to eliminate the problem.

RICHARD E. BROWN

Bakersfield