JETS FOR HAREWOOD

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30042, 29 January 1963, Page 14

JETS FOR HAREWOOD

Service Likely This Year

Once the main runway ex-, tension to cope with full jet services had been completed

—the contract date is November 1, this year—ft was expected that at least one jet service a week would use the

airport, although full navigational aids would not be installed until November, 1964, said Cr. A. R. Guthrey, chairman of the City Council’s airport committee, yesterday. As soon as the runway was extended there was nothing to stop a regular service by pure jet airliners, Cr. Guthrey said. Qantas, which would be operating a Boeing 707 for the Queen’s flight from Christchurch to Australia at the end of the Royal tour, was interested in providing a jet service to and from Christchurch, Cr. Guthrey said.

T.E.A.L, 8.0.A.C. and Qantas all had Tasman rights and would operate jets when Mangere was ready, Cr. Guthrey said. The French airline, T.A.I- Pan American Airways and Canadian Pacific operated through Auckland. and whether they came to Christchurch depended on the traffic generated. The new navigational aids authorised by the Civil Aviation Administration were mainly to assist in clearing other traffic to give approaching jet aircraft priority, Cr. Guthrey said. If there was a high frequency of jet service the use of additional aids would be necessary, but with only one jet service a week the airport would be able to cope adequately until the full aids were in use.

If the jet service was assured for Christchurch it would help the tourist traffic. Cr. Guthrey said. It had been shown that tourists did not retrace their steps if they could avoid it, and that was another reason for a jet service to Christchurch. If it was provided, tourists could come to the country in Auckland, travel throughout New Zealand and leave from Christchurch, instead of just arriving at Auckland and making a short trip to Rotorua before leaving from Auckland again.