Increased Tasman Air Fares Opposed

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29994, 1 December 1962, Page 12

Increased Tasman Air Fares Opposed

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, November 30. Suggestions that Qantas had asked Tasman Empire Airways to reduce its quota of Tasman flights to provide for 8.0.A.C. Comet services next year were denied by Mr D. G. Anderson, Director-General of Civil Aviation for Australia, in Auckland today.

Mr Anderson, who is visiting New Zealand for the South Pacific Air Transport Council annual meeting at Wairakei, said Qantas had proposed that, in addition to the 104 flights a year to be provided by 8.0.A.C., T.E.A.L. and Qantas should provide a further 200 a year—--120 by T.E.A.L. and 80 by Qantas.

Mr Anderson said a dispute had arisen between Qantas and TEAL, over Tasman fares, and had been refei red to the Australian and New Zealand Governments. TE.A.L wanted to raise economy class fares by 5 per cent and first-class fares by 7 per cent,, he said.

Qantas was strongly opposed to any fare increases because it wanted to induce more Australians to come to New Zealand Internal fares in Australia were much lower than Tasman fares. Mr Anderson said. The economy fare for the 1317-mile Adelaide-Perth trip was £2l 15s single and £43 9s return. The economy fare for the 1333 miles from Sydney to Auckland, on the other hand, was £32 18s single and £59 5s return.

The cost per passenger mile from Adelaide to Perth was 3.96 d. and from Sydney to Auckland 5 92d An increase in Tasman fares, Mr Anderson said, could divert Australians to tourisi resorts in Australia. Qantas did not want this to happen.

Mr Anderson also said Australian civil aviation authoriI ties had not requested any deferment of the proposed

date of entry of 8.0.A.C. on the Tasman route and did not intend to do so. Australia granted 8.0.A.C these rights in the BritishAustralian bilateral agreement of 1957 and the exercise of these rights by 8.0.A.C. had been a matter for decision by New Zealand since then. New services proposed by Qantas, Mr Anderson said, would go from Sydney to Wellington and Christchurch and return by the same route, and from Brisbane to Auckland and Wellington and back by the same route. Qantas also wanted to retain a daily service to Wellington throughout the year. The airlines were now discussing these proposals, he said, but no decision had yet been reached.