Unbearable wait
Sir: Like Jenny McCartney, I too am fed up with flying (‘Civilised air travel? Pigs might fly’, 5 August). However, it’s not for any rudeness on the part of the staff, which I have as yet not encountered. Nor is it the lack of meals. Who needs them? No, it’s the agony of endless queues at the airport, the misery of taking off shoes and putting them back on, with no chairs supplied, and the confiscation of small items overlooked in packing. This is no fault of the air companies, but the rise in terror attacks has made such scrutiny necessary. I have ceased to travel long journeys by plane and try to manage with rail.
Sheila Berger
Bern, Switzerland
Heating disorder
Sir: Ross Clark (‘Road to nowhere’, 5 August) highlights the likely limited range of electric cars. However he does not mention another factor. The range compared to petrol or diesel is sure to be further reduced in cold weather. With water-cooled petrol and diesel cars, the cabin heat is provided by waste heat from the engine cooling system, which would otherwise be dispersed via the radiator. In other words, the cabin heat is free (though the fan still costs). In electric cars, the cabin heat would have to be provided by the battery, further reducing the range. I do not know how much research has been done into this but judging by the cost of running a 1-2kW electric fire at home, it is probably significant.
Peter White
Boardmills, Lisburn
Snap happy
Sir: Jenny Coad disapproves of those who indulge their love of photography (‘Snapping point’, 5 August). I rarely take photos with my smartphone, mostly because I don’t remember to, but I support the right of others to do so. Some of us prefer to experience art and music without a device in front of our faces.
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