Sir: When we talk about low-cost/no-frill flights, we always visualise compact planes, no complimentary food or drinks, slashed baggage allowance and minimal service standard while on board; but what about the other aspects wherein operating cost is axed to make such flights commercially viable? Here then comes the crew on the radar, other than the plane’s health itself, who are forced to fly long hours with the shortest gap between landing and flying out to new destinations. Operators have to maintain a minimum health check on the planes as per international aviation regulations but what about the stress, fatigue, depression and other psychological issues crews of these low-cost airlines face on a day and night basis? t is high time for airlines to pause for a moment from the throat-cutting competition and see what should be done to monitor those who are ferrying hundreds of thousands of people each hour on these short-haul flights. Are they mentally healthy to take care of flying machines under their control and hundreds of passengers that are their responsibility at thousands of feet in the air? MASOOD KHAN Jubail Saudi Arabia