Letters - 1996-08-19

<H1>Letters</H1>Ritz Responsible For Problems

On a publication as sophisticated as yours, I marvel that an article as naive as "Ritz Rejects Local Account Of Hotel's Financial Woes" (BTN, June 24) could ever get published. A company manages a property and then blames its deficits on the poor owners. And your writer swallows this whole and you print it...whole?

I am not against Ritz-Carlton; I opened the company's first half-dozen properties. But several years ago, the story came out that Ritz-Carlton hadn't paid a dime on the debt service of any hotel that it managed. And it was true. (Hyatt Hotels was guilty of the same kind of property management practice and paid a big penalty for it, especially in Hawaii.)

The Ritz-Carlton company was ready to cave in when Marriott saved it by buying in. Today, Marriott systems are being installed in all Ritz-Carlton operations.

<I>Frances Borden
President
Frances Borden Public Relations
New York

</I>Airlines Cause Stress

"Airlines Address Abusive Passenger Issue" (BTN, June 24) was perhaps the least constructive and informative article I have ever read in your publication.

The first half of the article explains various reasons why travelers, especially business travelers, are dissatisfied and overstressed nowadays. Airlines canceling flights without concern, excessive "walking" of clients with guaranteed hotel reservations and an overall decline in the quality and quantity of service within the industry were cited as reasons why travelers might be losing their cool more often when things go wrong.

Then the article goes on to discuss what certain industry workers want to do with these offenders. Tougher penalties. Jail time. Heavy fines. Nothing about what these industry workers are going to do to try to relieve some of the stress and anger that they directly cause.

There is not even an apology for, or acknowledgment of, the part the industry employees play in causing the problem. And we're supposed to feel sorry for them. I don't think so.

<I>Tami Renner
Manager
Adams Travel Agency
Auburn, N.Y.