Frazzled Flyers

To the Editors:

You struck a recently frazzled but lighly entertained nerve in this traveler with "Flying the Crowded Skies" [Aug. 14]. As a project evaluator for the Federal Government, I spent five weeks during June and July plying the heavens on various airlines. After logging about 9,200 as-the-crow-flies miles, eating God knows what with someone's elbow stuck in my ear and being kicked by an unruly child on the other side, one might think I would never want to fly again. But give me a few weeks to adjust my wobbly knees and popping ears to terrestrial life, and I'll be winging my way to visit a friend in Boston. I need my head examined.

Karen Santic Washington, D.C.

I wish the airlines would abolish all bargain fares. They could then lower the exorbitant regular fares to more reasonable levels, thus sparing themselves the ill will of disgruntled would-be passengers. Margaret Piton Montreal

In the past year many charter tour operators have been forced out of business by the new, deeply discounted fares. The charter flights (and later the Laker flights) are what forced the reductions. The CAB has refused to protect the public by insisting that all Super Saver-type fares must exist for a specified lifetime (such as a five-year minimum). Once the charters are gone, you will see the discounts disappear quickly, and the airlines will have the public right where they want it paying high fares without the option of the less expensive charter flights.

Robert J. Stein Jr Albany

Your story on air travel says nothing about the heavy subsidies the air traveler enjoys. The subsidy is in the form of virtually free airports, traffic controllers, weather services, FAA inspectors and, in the case of smaller airlines, direct cash subsidies. In 1976, for example, North Central Airlines received a direct payment of $13 million. The 1977-78

Department of Transportation budget shows $77 million for such subsidies, to say nothing of the $2.4 billion for airports and airways.

Robert E. Nelson Green Bay, Wis.

Pillow Plumpers

I reject Lance Morrow's premise and conclusions [Aug. 7]: those who voted for Proposition 13 have a duty in the Judaeo-Christian tradition to volunteer services to others or otherwise be seen as "narcissistic" pillow plumpers.

I see nothing that gives Morrow or any other person claim to another person's hard-earned money or time. And I have never seen anything more narcissistic than a mouth-flapping, duty-oriented politician or a flowing-robed, self-sacrificing religious potentate. Our first moral duty can only be self-survival; that duty should be required of no one else.

Newton Baird Georgetown, Calif.

Volunteering is not self-sacrifice, it is doing work for the love of it, or because you badly want to see the job done. For those two motives I will do any job unpaid, if the paycheck for another job is already in my pocket.

Patricia Mathews Albuquerque

One of America's greatest strengths has always been the willingness of its citizens to give voluntarily of their time and talents in all aspects of community life. As you point out, the effects of Proposition 13 remind us of the importance of the role volunteers play in our society. We are becoming increasingly aware that Government, by itself, cannot be expected to provide effective solutions to all of America's problems.

George Romney, Chairman

National Center for Voluntary Action

Washington, D.C.

Turkish Embargo

"The Right Thing for America" [Aug. 14]? I doubt it. It seems to me that lifting the embargo while Turkish troops are still on the island of Cyprus introduces a new and very dangerous dimension to the making of U.S. foreign policy: piracy when conducted by allies is not only excusable but also worth rewarding in U.S taxpayers' money.

Constantine Michaelides St. Louis

You bet it was the right thing for America. Imposing the arms embargo on the Turks was poor judgment. NATO must remain strong to keep the Soviets No. 2 in world power.

Donald H. Kramer Hackensack, N.J.

Soviets to the Rescue?

The Skylab space station [Aug. 14] does not need to be sacrificed if we are willing to swallow our pride and ask the Soviets to attach the modest rocket boosters to Skylab that will raise it to a temporarily safe orbit. They are clearly able to do this right now, as numerous recent exploits indicate.

Such an effort would also be in the spirit of the joint Soyuz-Apollo mission of 1975, whose main theme was mutual assistance in space. Besides, which would be more embarrassing: To ask the Russians for help, or to face possible casualties, billion-dollar indemnification suits and unforeseen political consequences if 85 tons of flaming fragments land in some sensitive region of the earth?

Ernest G. Reuning Athens, Ga.

Haitian Refugees

An Administration pledged to human rights might well re-examine U.S. policy toward Haiti and offer refugees now arriving [Aug. 7] political asylum. Unfortunately, the Haitian community here remains silent, out of fear for family and friends who remain behind. Their silence augurs a dismal future for the refugees and U.S.-Haitian relations.

Madeleine Felix Evanston, Ill.

If a man from Haiti says he fears living in his country, he is telling the truth. I am a Haitian, now living legally in the U.S., and I am scared to put foot on the soil where most of my family have been slaughtered because they spoke out about the so-called democratic rule.

Bel-Ami De Montreux Houston

CAREless?

A letter you published [July 31] erroneously stated that CARE packages were now being sent to American soldiers abroad. The fact is that CARE does not provide assistance of any land to military personnel. Moreover, no CARE packages have been sent anywhere since 1968. Food is shipped in bulk and distributed via schools and nutrition centers.

Frank L. Goffio

Executive Director, CARE

New York Cit)

The writer meant "care" packages as a symbol of aid from family and friends.

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