The Press FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1965. Air N.Z. Spreads Its Wings

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30846, 3 September 1965, Page 14

The Press FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1965. Air N.Z. Spreads Its Wings

Twenty-five years after Tasman Empire Airways began flying Empire flying boats across the Tasman, its successor, Air New Zealand, has acquired its first jet aircraft. Air New Zealand now makes regular flights to Fiji and New Caledonia, as well as across the Tasman. The extension of its services to North America and the Far East over the next six months is the biggest move in the company’s history. A prerequisite for this expansion was the acquisition of large, modem, pure-jet aircraft. The DCB liners which are now being added to the Air New Zealand fleet will enable the company to compete for traffic with some of the world's largest airlines.

The number of international air travellers has doubled every five or six years since the war. This phenomenal growth, and the rapid technological advances of the industry, place a premium on planning and timing in the operations of an airline: in no other industry is it so true that “ to stand still is to “ slip back ”. The jets, which are much faster and carry more passengers than the old aircraft, will make new demands on the technical and managerial resources of the company, which is now entering a critical phase in its history. The company has a satisfactory financial record, as international airlines go; it also has an excellent technical and safety record. This augurs well for the company’s prospects in the wider areas it is now entering.

Much thinking about national airlines is confused. Even the argument that a national airline earns or saves foreign exchange is suspect, for the undertaking usually calls for a continuing expenditure of overseas funds, conveniently overlooked or under-estimated by proponents of this argument. Nevertheless, a well-run national airline can be a powerful instrument to promote both trade and the tourist traffic. Air New Zealand’s future operations in North America and the Far East should bring substantial benefits in both fields.