19 APRIL 2003, Page 30

Spirit of Aeroflot

From Mr Patrick Fox Sir: Christopher Fildes (City and Suburban, 29 March) should not be too depressed at the thought of Aeroflot. For starters, the Natashas and Svetlanas are a whole lot prettier than the geriatric women whom British Airways seems to recruit nowadays. You would also be hard-pressed to refuse the generous tumblerful of vodka that is offered with such determination, regardless of the hour of the flight — no vodka, no food. I have flown with Aeroflot and lived to tell the tale, and, as Mr Fildes's banker acquaintance says, there is much worse on offer in this part of the world.

Patrick Fox Tashkent, Uzbekistan