Smokers

Will nonsmokers give a little?

As an inveterate smoker I’ll live with the new nonsmoking regulations on airlines. It will inconvenience me, but I’ll be patient!

When that no-smoking sign went off, as a semi-white knuckled flier, I lit up my security stick. No more. I’ll just have to whimper quietly in rough weather.

So I, and 35% of the flying public are inconvenienced.

How about a deal with all those nonsmoking fliers who are 50% tolerant, 30% annoyed and 20% outrageous in their dedication? (I’ve had little old ladies call me names a longshoreman would blush at when I asked if they minded if I smoked--and that was in my section of a plane or restaurant.)

The deal is simply this. The airline hands out special “chits” to smokers who can’t smoke on the flight. When the plane lands all nonsmokers remain in their seats until the smokers are unloaded and the chits collected.

That’s a fair swap--two hours of our inconvenience for about 10 minutes of their time. Let’s hear from you nonsmokers.

JOHN F. GORMAN

Studio City