US must compensate BWIA and pilots

THE EDITOR: It is disgraceful that a country whose bill of rights stipulates that “a person is innocent until proven guilty” can detain and cause massive disruption to a country’s national airline because two names appear to be similar to those on a “no fly” list prepared by WHO?

The cost to this country and the damage to the integrity of BWIA and its two pilots is reprehensible. The cost in monetary terms is in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Who will defray these costs? Who will repay the damage done to the integrity of the airline and its two senior pilots? The USA and its Government are in my view liable for these costs and personal damages and must be brought to the courts and be made to recompense both the organisation and its senior executives.

The two pilots concerned were held in their hotels in Miami and New York and were not allowed to return home. BWIA has had to make arrangements to reposition flight deck crew to fly the aircraft and its passengers to their various homes at great cost. The personal inconvenience and mental stress of the pilots and the crew must be recompensed, not to mention the costs to the airline, that need also to be repaid.

It’s imperative that the USA Government be brought to book and be made to reimburse BWIA and its staff for personal damages and costs and if they fail to do this willingly suitable action be taken against the USA in the Courts either in the USA or in The Haige. We can only hope that those concerned will take the necessary action.

DAVID L MARTIN
Maraval