The Editor, Sir:

As a Jamaican living in London, it is with great interest that I have followed the closing of the Air Jamaica-London route. I have noted the pros and cons of this particular business deal; however, the benefits to Jamaica and Air Jamaica are still not clear. One point in particular is the selling of the Heathrow take-off and landing slots to Virgin Atlantic.

According to www.ukbusinesspark.co.uk/brs55829.htm "British Airways has agreed to pay an estimated £30m for the acquisition of seven take-off and landing slots at Heathrow Airport from SN Brussels Airlines. 12-Jul-2002".

This would have worked out to roughly £4.2million for each of the take-off and landing slots in 2002.

In June of this year, it was announced that Jamaica had earned £5.1 million from the sale of their seven take-off and landing slots to Virgin Atlantic.

With single take-off and landing slot deals now reportedly going for between £5-£20 million, how is it that in 2007, Jamaica has earned only £5.1million for all of Air Jamaica's seven slots?

I am, etc.,

JEAN ROBERTSON

njs.robertson@googlemail.com

London

Via Go-Jamaica