Mike Dooley assumes there will only be one service provider to Heathrow from Scotland's airports if the International Airline Group takeover of BMI goes ahead (Letters, February 2).

BMI is, as Julia Simpson pointed out (Letters, February 1), chronically loss making. If the Scottish Government wants a second carrier to operate from Scotland to Heathrow, it just needs to pay for it.

Potentially combining some flights between Scotland and Heathrow will be better for the environment, as half-empty planes will no longer operate within minutes of each other.

I also expect British Airways to use larger aircraft from Aberdeen and Edinburgh to Heathrow, as they have done from Glasgow since BMI pulled out.

Mr Dooley goes on to state that the increase in slot holding at Heathrow is anti-competitive.

Even with BMI, International Airline Group will have a lower percentage of slots at Heathrow than KLM has in Amsterdam, Air France has in Paris and Lufthansa has in Frankfurt.

Surely he sees that it is good for the UK economy for the main hub carrier at Heathrow to have a broader global network, thus enabling Britain to better compete on the world stage?

Jonny Price,

Maryfield Place,

Edinburgh.