Unfair policies
Sir — Female employees are often penalised for going on maternity leave. Yet, most workspaces do not offer childcare infrastructure to new mothers. In an infuriating incident in London, a CEO was denied entry into an event for bringing her 18-month-old baby along with her. Society cannot claim to be inclusive or equal while women are systematically excluded and sidelined in both blatant and insidious ways. It is essential that professional spaces accommodate mothers and their children if they want
women to balance the professional and the personal.
Rachna Sinha,
Calcutta
Find the cause
Sir — Never before has an aviation tragedy sent such ripples of fear through the world. The repercussions penetrate deep into the psyche of air travellers. An insightful analysis of this tragedy must get to the root of the accident. Was it a systemic failure or does it point to inherent design flaws or critical certification oversights? Equally crucial is scrutinising any potential maintenance protocol breaches. The other probable cause is human error — were there deviations from standard operating procedures or did extended duty hours, disrupted sleep cycles, or physiological limitations impair the cognitive function and the reaction time of pilots?
The financial impact of such an accident is immense. Boeing faces a colossal burden of investigations, legal liabilities and potential design changes. Market confidence will inevitably plummet, impacting investor trust in both Boeing and the aviation industry. The insurance industry faces massive payouts and sweeping adjustments in aviation insurance premiums, potentially running into billions.
The Indian government is under immense pressure to take important decisions like grounding fleets, enacting new safety mandates, and engaging in intense political rhetoric. Ultimately, public trust in aviation safety and the integrity of regulatory bodies is either eroded or painstakingly bolstered. The aviation industry stands at a critical juncture, compelled to learn, adapt and reinforce the sanctity of safe flights.
Air Commodore (Retd.) Sanjay Kumar VSM,
Calcutta
Sir — The tragic crash of the Air India Flight 171 carrying 242 people has shocked the world (“Skyfall”, June 13). Among the deceased are also several students of B.J. Medical College on which the plane crashed. This disaster underscores an urgent need for the government to clear all structures near landing and take-off funnels around airports and prevent new encroachments to minimise casualties in the future.
R.S. Narula,
Patiala
Sir — It is shocking that a technical snag was detected in the Air India plane which crashed and it was grounded some six months ago. Was the snag rectified? A probe should be ordered to determine the reason for the crash. Those responsible should be brought to book and punished severely.
N.R. Ramachandran,
Chennai
Sir — The crash of Air India’s Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner is the worst civilian air crash in decades. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation should meticulously investigate the cause of the crash.
Sunil Chopra,
Ludhiana
Sir — The recent aeroplane crash follows a series of fatal train accidents in the past few years — the Balasore train disaster in 2023 and the Kanpur derailment in 2021 are among these — which have cumulatively taken hundreds of lives and left many more injured. Travel, which should be a symbol of progress and a means of connectivity, is increasingly becoming a source of fear. While authorities respond with inquiries and compensation, real accountability and systemic change remain elusive.
Md. Sabir Hussain,
Arrah, Bihar
