Clean Air Incentive

“A Last Gasp for Smokers on Airlines?” (by Paul Dean, Aug. 2) noted that the airlines have the technology to provide clean air for passengers.

Environmental control units adequate to do the job are routinely turned down or shut off by the pilots. The reason is the usual reason: Given the choice between saving millions of dollars per year or providing clean air, the airlines choose to save money.

If the airlines had to start spending the millions of dollars they are now saving in order to provide clean air, the airlines would have an incentive to match the tobacco industry in lobbying for (anti-smoking) legislation that provides clean air and saves millions of dollars per year.

FRANKLIN R. GARFIELD

Los Angeles