Tasman Air Service

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25547, 15 July 1948, Page 4

Tasman Air Service

When Mr F. W. Dcidge (Opposition) criticised Tasman Empire Airways service in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, he told Parliament and the country of the advantage that would be derived if the Governments which now control the service allowed a private airline to run a landplane service in place of or in competition with the Stateowned monopoly flying-boat service. Australian National Airways operated the Tasman service under charter, while the Tasman Empire Airways Sandringham flying-boats were grounded, and is still making charter flights -with Skymaster landplanes to help the company out of its difficulties. Figures quoted by Mr Doidge emphasise once again that the Skymasters normally carry a greater payload than the Sand-

ringham flying-boats, a still greater one now that the Sandringhams’ normal load of 30 passengers has been reduced to allow the engines to be modified and extra fuel tanks to be fitted. Mr Doidge’s interesting information about the cost of charter operations has opened to the public more of the financial background of the Tasman service than the Government, the principal shareholder in Tasman Empire Airways, has allowed it to see. This is information to which the public is entitled. The charter operations show what could be achieved if the Tasman service were operated with fast and efficient landplanes instead of flying-boats, which have been discarded by the majority of the world’s airline operators. Apparently, Australian National Airways could reduce the present fares if it operated such a service. Tasman Empire Airways has claimed that its fares are among the lowest for international airlines; but the evidence now is that a private airline is prepared to give a better service than the State-owned service and charge less. If more efficient service is available the public is entitled to have it. While Tasman Empire Airways is prepared to use a faster and more economic landplane service when in difficulties, it is now committed to operate its new Solent flying-boats for five to seven years according to the general manager (Mr G. N. Roberts). If the Government is not prepared to allow a private airline to operate a cheaper service, it should be asked for a binding assurance that the proposed new service with the new flyingboats will be as good and as cheap. Without this assurance there is no case for maintaining a State-owned monopoly service, which is justified only if it can operate at the cheapest possible rate and in* the most efficient way.