Defending low fare airlines

Regarding Mr. Sawrey-Cookson's letter published on June 16, I would like to point out a few facts that Mr. Sawrey-Cookson should take into account next time he flies the hideous flight from Jakarta to London.

Choose an airline that fits your price range and inquire into what sort of service they offer on board, i.e. checking to see if Royal Brunei actually do serve alcoholic beverages on board. Don't forget Brunei is a Muslim country, and most flights go via the Middle East. But most importantly check your transit times! I was horrified to see that you and your poor wife had to wait nine long hours while transiting. You can easily check for transit times via the airline directly or via your travel agent. No one with half a brain would want to transit in Bandar Seri Begawan for nine hours!

Last, just a word of advice: Be careful with what you do with your duty free alcohol. Most airlines have the right to remove alcohol from a passenger if they are caught drinking their own supplies and in some countries it is considered an offense.

R. VINCENT

Jakarta