It cannot be left to airlines to stop drunk passengers

Mr Simpson quotes Stephen Montgomery, director of the Scottish Hospitality Group, saying: “The captains have the right to refuse entry… so if someone is having too much drink you can refuse them.” True but, having been an airline captain for 25 years, I can assure him that captains are busy pre-flight, setting up the aircraft to ensure the flight can be completed safely; they’re unlikely to have time to act as a bouncer at the door.

So it’s up to the cabin crew to assess passengers as they board. Given the pace of boarding, they glimpse passengers for only a couple of seconds as they walk by. If the crew are to properly assess each individual for intoxication, they’d need at least 30 seconds each, so that’s 90 minutes for a short-haul flight and two-and-half hours for long-haul. Those expensive jets are still costing money when sitting at the terminal, so fares would have to go up dramatically. There’s no legal definition of "drunk”; it’s a subjective judgment. If crew decide to refuse boarding, you’d need to get the passenger’s luggage out of the hold – and that could take an hour. So then you miss your Air Traffic Control take-off slot time, and the next one’s in another hour; by which time the crew may be out of their legally-allowed duty hours and the flight’s cancelled.

I experienced a number of episodes involving drunk passengers and, while some were amusing in hindsight, they were an unnecessary distraction and potentially a serious threat to the safety of all on board. Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary is right to call for strict limits on pre-flight drinking at the airport.

Doug Maughan, Dunblane.

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• Comments about whether flight attendants should refuse drunk passengers permission to board planes, or even should anyone partake of alcohol before flying, have missed one significant point. Our licensing laws prohibit bar servers from offering "doubles" but airport bar persons do just that. At Glasgow Airport I am frequently asked if I want a large dram.

Profit before safety?

JB Drummond, Kilmarnock.

Let's have a rethink on HS2

HS2 (London-Birmingham/Lichfield) may cost £100 billion to build but is on track to provide fewer seats than the current service between Scotland, Birmingham and London Euston from 2040. HS2 has ordered 432 carriages to replace 684 carriages currently providing this service: eight-coach trains will replace 11-coach trains on services from Glasgow to Euston, and the frequency will be halved to hourly. Passenger numbers will be suppressed and constrained by compulsory reservations.

But it doesn’t have to be like this: the current Pendolino trains, retiring in 2043, can be replaced with 43 new 12-coach 750-seat trains designed to run Glasgow to London on both HS2 and the West Coast Main Line, in just three hours 38 minutes. The total train fleet would be 948 carriages, with every route getting more seats and faster journey times. All this is possible with HS2 (phase 1, under construction now) and existing West Coast Mainline tracks, simply by running longer trains. Passenger revenue on this route has doubled before and can do so again, rising to over £2bn per annum, but this is a fraction of the economic benefit generated in Glasgow and the West of Scotland by such capacity. The UK and Scottish governments must reconsider HS2’s plans now and opt for more capacity.

Chris Gibb, Railwayman, former COO Virgin Trains, board member Network Rail and DfT Operator, Prestwick.

Misguided choice of flags

It has been noticeable that demonstrations by British Jews at Downing Street, from those immediately following the Golders Green attack to those at the weekend, have consistently included a number of Israeli flags. This undermines the efforts by the British community to differentiate themselves from the barbarous actions of Israel which so clearly stand as a factor in the surge of antisemitism which afflicts us today, and does nothing to evince sympathy from bystanders.

James Scott, Edinburgh.

In praise of Paisley

Last week, on a perfect spring day, myself and a friend took a Paisley novice on a conducted tour of the town centre. I don’t exaggerate when I say she was enthralled.

First we visited the recently restored and repurposed Town Hall. It was donated to the town near the end of Queen Victoria’s reign by one of Paisley’s great benefactors, George A Clark, the thread-making baron. Now, after years of decline, an arts and events venue, it’s pretty sensational.

Then we were in the Abbey, which let’s be honest is sensational too. In its centuries-long history, it’s been through multiple triumphs and disasters, a bit like Paisley itself. Now cherished and well looked-after, it was the turn of a fellow visitor, from Massachusetts, whom we conversed with, to be enthralled.

Dunn Square, across the river from the Town Hall, also recently refurbished, was looking its best with rows of cherry trees at peak fluorescence. Nearby is The Art Department, a buzzing hub for local artists and craftspeople, with spacious exhibition spaces.

On top of all this, we had a tip-top lunch in one of the town’s popular restaurants, with a handsome view of the Abbey Close. And the local people we interfaced with throughout our visit were unfailingly friendly and helpful. The whole experience was a winner.

It was Benjamin Disraeli, back in the Victorian era, who said “Keep your eye on Paisley”. Were he around today, I hope he might say it again.

Robert Love, Glasgow.

Paisley Abbey, "an enthralling attraction" (Image: National Churches Trust)

Come on, ref

I note your report concerning the controversy over BBC Scotland's election results coverage ("BBC Scotland condemned as it cuts TV coverage", The Herald, May 9). Rather than leave the pecking order of importance of a football match or an election result to unqualified amateurs, would it not be fairer to hold a Refereedum vote?

Duncan Graham, Stirling.