Sir, The insurance problems arising from the suspected aircraft bomb plot are likely to be worse than your reports suggest (Aug 11 and 12).
Whether or not the current threats and security precautions turn out to have a better factual basis than the WMD fairytales, it is undeniable that everything since Thursday night is the result of actions taken on behalf of us all by a responsible government — and it is not clear who will foot the ultimate bill.
The answer will affect us all as taxpayers or policyholders. Who will reimburse airlines for disruption and cancellations? Who will assist travellers whose insurers may be entitled to avoid liability? Who will pay for theft from baggage ordered to be unlocked? Who will reimburse insurers who do pay for the consequences of complying with official instructions? It is arguable that the British Government should pay — but, to the extent that in this case US interests were also being protected, perhaps the cost should be shared. Some form of international agreement seems inevitable.
Even more contentious is the question of who should pay if actual destruction of aircraft had ensued. Only the US undertakes direct insurance of US carriers for this type of risk. The UK prefers to rely on commercial insurance to the greatest extent possible. But what if insurers are entitled to avoid liability? Neither the EU nor the UK has an answer.
In relation to damage to persons and property on the ground caused by aircraft, most governments (including those in the EU) appear to be relying on a successful outcome of studies under the auspices of the International Civil Aviation Organisation — a prospect which, the Government has admitted in the House of Lords, is years from fruition.
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HAROLD CAPLAN
Sunbury, Surrey
Sir, According to the websites of the Brussels and Paris airports, the only flights from these airports subject to the “no hand luggage” rule are those to the US. So, if one wants to fly anywhere else in the world from the South East of England, the solution is clear — take the Eurostar to Brussels or Paris, and fly from there, with your books, laptops etc with you.
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LORD BERKELEY
House of Lords, London SW1
Sir, Thanks to terrorism we now have the best opportunity ever to reduce the number of flights at the major London airports and to insist that charter and low-cost operators make much more use of regional airports for their non-essential holiday flights. Who now needs more runways and terminals at Heathrow/Gatwick/Stansted?
PETER F. PENNEY
Sittingbourne, Kent