Letters to the Editor: Air taxis for rich Angelenos? Not over their backyards

To the editor: These planned air taxis, which we're told could be common in Los Angeles' skies before the 2028 Olympics, are a disaster waiting to happen.

Instead of boosterism reporting and parroting industry marketing claims that these aircraft are some kind of a godsend, how about reporting on how many decibels these flying bubbles for the elite will blare onto the plebes below?

The claim of a $50 fare "akin to an Uber ride" is a pipe dream, as a ride from downtown to Santa Monica during rush hour is already well over $50. Why wasn't this fanciful claim examined?

The impacts of flying air taxis over Los Angeles and the paper’s naive reporting on the technology are disappointing.

Stephen Gora, El Sereno

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To the editor: A cost of only $50 a flight to commute by air in Los Angeles? That reminds one of the outlandish initial promise we were given that the bullet train would cost $33 billion to build.

Noise? My fold-up drone that nearly fits in my shoe announces itself at a 100-foot distance.

Energy? The mentioned 25 trips a day will require many battery exchanges and a high amount of electricity consumption, especially with the heavy weight of these aircraft. What is the impact on our non-renewable resources and the environment?

Finally, with overhead flights providing a constant stream of reminders, poor folks can't be blamed for resenting the fact that the rich folks travel like they can't. Air taxis will be another social division separating the have-nots from the haves.

Dan O'Connell, Santa Clarita

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.