HIGHER AIRPORT CHARGES

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28951, 20 July 1959, Page 6

HIGHER AIRPORT CHARGES

Air Travel May Cost More

Charges for airport facilities in New Zealand will be increased "in a month or two” and this could mean higher f ® res .;? r . * ir travel, according to the Minister in charge of Civil Aviation (Mr Mathison). ’ • . Amplifying a statement he made when he switched on a new hydrant refuelling system at the Christchurch airport on Saturday, Mr Mathison said yesterday the higher charges were inevitable. He said there were two forms of airport dues. "One charge covers construction and maintenance and this is usually shared between the Government and a local body. "The other charge covers navigational aids and so on," he said. Mr Mathison said both charges would be increased in the next few weeks or "rather in the next month or two.” He said it would then be up to the airlines to seek to get the increased charges passed on to air travellers by higher fares. At the Christchurch airport on Saturday Mr Mathison switched on the new refuelling system installed by thd Shell Company of New Zealand. Ltd. He said the Shell company would be relieved the Government was not accepting Mr Leigh Fisher’s recommendation on fuel, flowage, but the Government would soon insist on a greater recovery of airport charges. , Speaking about the pure jet airliners, Mr Mathison said the bigger lhe jets became the less likelihood there was of New Zealand seeing them. Nandi airport in Fiji would be the nearest jet airfield to New Zealand for some time to come, he added. .