Sir – Thank you for Chris Koenig’s delightful article on the new Fly Baboo Airlines service to Geneva (Business, December 24).

As someone with a great interest in the Bombardier Q400 aircraft, it is very warming to see airlines using it to its best advantage as in markets using environmentally-sensitive airports.

Here in Toronto (home of the Q400) we have a tremendously successful airline operating out of the downtown Toronto City Centre Airport, formally Toronto Island Airport. Noise is a big issue to local residents in the affluent residential areas along the Toronto harbour waterfront and many politicians made hay out of objecting to Porter Airlines setting up their service.

Funnily enough, a large demonstration (organised by local politicians who should know better), protesting the inaugural flight, missed the first two departures because of the normal traffic noise on the adjacent lakeshore highway! The Toronto Island Airport was originally built for pilot training during the Second World War and when turned over for general aviation use, was restricted to propeller aircraft only. No jets! This restriction is still in effect today and serves to keep the noise and pollution to a minimum. We, in Toronto, wish the Oxford Airport and Baboo the best of success in the new decade.

R. Ged Mounsey, Principal engineering specialist, DAD Interiors & Occupant Safety, Bombardier Aerospace, Toronto