Dear Sir/Madam,

I was pleased to read Michael Dukakis’s article in today’s OP-ED column (A Down-to-Earth Solution to Airport Gridlock, September 1, 2001). His arguments for replacing planes with trains for short to medium haul travel make a lot of sense.

However, the most important reason for doing so he neglects to mention: the fact that on a planet with limited resources and carrying capacity, plus a population heading towards 8 – 10 billion (and who doesn’t what to fly?), trains are sustainable, while planes are not.

The real challenge is not simply finding a way to end flight delays, but securing our children’s future survival aboard SPACESHIP EARTH.

The way we are heading at the moment, with America at the helm, is towards extinction.