I am not a bully nor am a a neophyte as you seem to think I am. In 30 years of flying and 20 of those as a Captain I fully agree with sounding the alarm at unsafe practices. I have personally sat on many committees for improvements and fought for changes in law and statutes. You probably have no clue what it takes for a US carrier to fly into any foreign destination or even a domestic one for that matter nor the very pain staking efforts by many to assure the safety of our passengers.Those who have flown with me and have been taught by me will attest to our staunch policy on safety. I have the last word when all is said and done before we leave the gate. We work as a team, unlike you that answers to no one. Except for now. You'll answer for this and I will utilize all of the many friends in very influential places to see to it that you really grasp your very childish cavalier attitude. You made a huge mistake own up to it . Additionally I don't need to lobby my friends they are all to happy to do it.

. Again and for the last time I have no issue with the facts, and making people aware of them what I do object vehemently is your blatant disrespect for the lost lives and the glib attitude you take all because you were inconvenienced. You take the "I told you so" position and then add some after facts to make your point. The real point of your article was to complain about your trip and the accident was the catalyst. Had you taken a different approach I would have applauded you.

Your condescension towards what you think as a lack of intelligence on my part only further reaffirms my thoughts about you. When you have personally sat on accident investigations and had to deal with the aftermath, sifted through wreckage, experienced the horrific scene of your coworkers and friends remains strewn across the land and dealt with the depths of despair from families torn apart, and media people who have little or no respect for anything else except their own agenda then you can speak. I have been there and continue to do so. To clarify I am an authority on these matters and as such far more credible than are you. Before you were born I was already charting new ground into new destinations far and wide. So have some respect and at the very least show a heart towards the families and learn to say I am sorry now before life teaches you a lesson the hard way.

You tell me not to read your "stuff'" then do not publish it tell me to "scan the byline and skip it" . It was there for all the world to read on the MSN homepage right where you wanted it. You are and will be held accountable.

Capt John