Closure Of Rongotai Upsets Air Services

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30706, 23 March 1965, Page 1

Closure Of Rongotai Upsets Air Services

Scheduled flights through Christchurch airport were from nine minutes to two hours and a quarter late yesterday. All outgoing passengers from Christchurch were accommodated by the National Airways Corporation either on scheduled or special flights.

The disruptions were again caused by the closure all day of Wellington airport This again meant that Viscounts operated through Palmerston North, and Friendships and DC3s through Paraparaumu. Yesterday morning the most seriously affected flight was the first InvercargillChristchurch service. Because Invercargill was closed until 9 aun. the north-bound plane was two hours late arriving here.

Conditions at Christchurch fluctuated for most of the morning. But at no time was the airport completely closed —at the worst it was only marginal. No aircraft had to be diverted.

A T.E.A.L. Electra which should have come to Christchurch on Sunday evening and had to be diverted to Auckland landed here at 9.50 a.m. after circling overhead for about 10 minutes. It left

for Melbourne at 10.45 a.m.— 45 minutes late. Both Qantas Electras flew on time last evening. Fog and rain are expected to hang over Wellington for another two days, reports the Press Association.

This March is already the wettest in Wellington since 1904. More than 4in of rain has been recorded since last Tuesday. The total for the month at 6 pan. yesterday was 8.38 in compared with the average total for March of 3.lin. The rainfall in March, 1904, was 9.94 in.