JETS FOR CITY

Press, Volume C, Issue 29499, 28 April 1961, Page 14

JETS FOR CITY

Cr. Guthrey’s Hope “I hope that Qantas will immediately begin to operate Boeing 707 jets through Christchurch airport,” said Cr. A. R. Guthrey, chairman of the City Council’s airport committee. last evening, when he welcomed the news that Qantas had been given rights to operate to and through Christchurch, Auckland and Wellington. If it was only a matter of operating on trans-Tasman flights, then it might not be necessary to have an extension of the runway at Harewood to meet the needs of the jet airliners, Cr. Guthrey said* but that was a matter for the Civil Aviation Administration.

Cr. Guthrey said he was rather disappointed that the Minister of Civil Aviation <Mr McAlpine) still placed emphasis on waiting until Mangere was ready before New Zealand really embarked into the jet aircraft field of operations.

“That is a retrograde step, and I am sure that we will be losing tourist income as a result,” he said. "Now we have got our own airline we can negotiate our own agreements. and I am hoping that the way will be clear for jet airliners to come to New Zealand, particularly those of Pan Arqerican Airways, which has said it is willing to begin a service within 30 days, and which would bring in the tourists, we need.”