AIR SERVICE TO MELBOURNE

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27098, 22 July 1953, Page 6

AIR SERVICE TO MELBOURNE

MANAGER REPLIES TO CRITICISM QUESTION OF MID-WEEK FLIGHTS Mid-week flights on the Tasman Empire Airways service between Christchurch and Melbourne are no more popular than Friday flights, according to Mr F. G. Hill, the company’s station manager in Christchurch. Commenting on criticism of the service by the president of the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association (Mr H. C. Urlwin) at a meeting of the council of the association, Mr Hill said yesterday that special flights made on Tuesdays during the last, peak passenger season did not attract full loads, the average being 24 passengers, in a 46-seater aircraft, although the schedules had been announced well in advance. i'

During discussion of the service by the Manufacturers* Association, Mr Urlwin said that Friday crossings were not convenient for businessmen. The council advocated that the service should be rim at a more convenient time of the week, and that there should be a link with Sydney in the summer.

Mr Hill said that the aircraft on the Christchurch-Melbourne service flew on to Sydney, but the company’s charter began and ended at Melbourne. Once the aircraft left Melbourne it was operated by Trans Australia Airlines. Passengers who intended to go to Sydney by way of Melbourne, however, were told of this, and were able to continue on from Melbourne in the same aircraft, although it was a T.A.A. service.

Suggestions that passengers had been deliberately directed from travelling from Harewoo’d to Wellington and Auckland so that use could be made of the flying-boat service were denied by Mr Hill. He said that the majority of the bookings for air travel to Australia were obtained through agents, as T.E.A.L. operated only three booking offices in New Zealand. Agents received their commission irrespective of the kind* of aircraft on which they booked a passenger. Their main consideration was to give service to their clients. Mr Hill said the Christchurch-Mel-bourne service received continual publicity. Arrivals and departures were of interest to newspapers. All forms of transport were subject to peak periods, and only those who made lastminute bookings in peak periods would be embarrassed. “We appreciate constructive criticism, but statements alleging that the Service is inconvenient, expensive, and fully booked do not help to create support for it,” said Mr Hill.