Airline Service

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29154, 15 March 1960, Page 3

Airline Service

Sir, —Recently my nephew and I flew to Wellington on the Viscount. On the return flight, we were seated in the Viscount with safety belts fastened, when we were told that Harewood airport was closed, and that we would be given accommodation for the night. This was refused us because “you haven’t begun your journey.’’ I pointed out that we

were as truly stranded in Wellington as those from further north. Finally, an official secured us (at our expense) accommodation which we reached at 11 o’clock. When I wrote for a refund, the manager replied: “The corporation is not responsible for hotel acommodation for disrupted passengers unless at least one sector of the air journey has been completed.” I recounted this to a world-wide air traveller. He said: “I always understood that, when an air company accepted you into their plane, they accepted responsibility for you.” That appears just.—Yours, etc., NO MORE. March 7, 1960. [Mr D. A. Patterson, assistant to the general manager of the National Airways Corporation, said the corporation was unable to comment on the letter because it was the corporation’s firm policy not to reply to correspondents who used a nom de plume.]