TASMAN AIR SERVICE

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25448, 20 March 1948, Page 2

TASMAN AIR SERVICE

NO FLIGHTS ON FOUR DAYS NEXT WEEK

R.N.Z.A.F. MACHINE TO CARRY MAILS

(PA.) AUCKLAND, March 19. No charter flights will be made for Tasman Empire Airways from Monday, March 22, to Thursday, March 25, inclusive. i The company announced that be- : cause internal air traffic in Australia would be heavy before the Easter holidays, three charter flights arranged for these dates had been cancelled. Every effort had been made, it was stated, to avoid this gap in the charter time-table, but suitable aircraft were not available from any source.

A considerable back-log of passengers would have accumulated by Marcn 26, the statement continued, and the company would do all within its power to avoid inconvenience to travellers. Ihis new interruption, however, made it necessary for preference to be x given to returning Australians and to through passengers who had to make onward connexions in Australia.

Charter flights would be made daily from March 26 to April 4, inclusive, by Trans-Australian Airways Skymasters, and the company was still endeavouring to arrange additional charter flights by Australian National Airways for this period. If these efforts were successful, the accumulation of passengers would be quickly re* duced. ' /

The first of the modified Tasman fly-ing-boats, which was still likely to come into service early in April, would ease the passenger position. In the meantime, the company was approaching every possible source in its endeavours to arrange an adequate number of charter flights.

The Post Office has arranged with the Air Department for air mail to be carried to Australia by an R.N.Z.A.F. Dakota on ’Tuesday. The Dakota, will fly by way of Norfolk Island and Brisbane.