AIRLINE DEFENDS PACKAGE TOURS

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30264, 17 October 1963, Page 23

AIRLINE DEFENDS PACKAGE TOURS

(New Zealand Press Association)

DUNEDIN, Oct. 16.

The air fares received by South Pacific Airlines of New’ Zealand for M>aori-Lu tours were in accordance with those provided for under its licence, Captain R. A Daniel, general manager of the company, said at a press forum in Oamaru.

Captain Daniel was replying to criticism levelled by Mr E. G. Beckett, of the Mount Cook and Southern Lakes Tourist Company, Ltd., at the week-end. Mr Beckett had claimed that the Maori-Lu air fare discounts appeared to be greater than the 30 per cent, allowed on published fares. “'The press statement was not accurate,” Captain Daniel said. ‘‘The Maori-Lu tours pay their way with us, but they have never been claimed to be economic by Ansett, as Ansett and TEAL. paid promotion costs.”

Captain Daniel said that tor the Maori-Lu tour last year 470 tickets had been sold in Australia before the advertising campaign . was half completed, which was well over double the number expected. ‘‘Ansett saw there was water in the well, and more chartered holidays will be provided next year.” Inferences which could be taken out of criticisms of the Maori-Lu tours was that there was a subsidised et-

tempt to break into New Zealand business, Captain Daniel said. But this was an unreasonable distortion of the facts.

Ansett got very little out of the last tour and the only people to benefit were TJE.A.L., S.P.AJV.Z. and accommodation houses in New Zealand.

"This is the sort of thing we gain by working with Ansett. If tours such as this are stymied, it will be through local parochialism.” Captain Daniel said that a year earlier the Government Tourist Bureau had advertised a similar tour at a cost of £137 IQs. It had 51 replies.