AIRLINE SEEKS NEW SERVICES

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31061, 17 May 1966, Page 8

AIRLINE SEEKS NEW SERVICES

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, May 16. Senior officers of Continental Airlines, United States, are in Wellington to discuss with the Government aviation and tourist officials, the proposal of the airline to establish regular services from the Pacific coast to New Zealand, Australia, and in the north Pacific to Japan, Hong Kong and eastern cities.

The visitors are Messrs C. F. Whelan, senior vice-presi-dent (marketing) and Pierre Salinger, vice-president (international affairs). Mr Salinger is the former press secretary to President Kennedy and to President Johnson. Continental Airlines are based at Los Angeles and operate extensive scheduled services through the western states, but have at present applications before the United States Civil Aeronautics Board for a great expansion of domestic operations, eastward to New York, eastern cities and Florida, and for authority to establish services in the north, central and south Pacific. From the Californian coast,

one of these several proposed routes would run through Tahiti and Auckland to Sydney, and another Auckland-Sydney-Nandi-Honolulu-Pacific coast.

At a press conference today, Mr Salinger said that the Civil Aaronatuics Board had invited applications for Pacific operations which would introduce competition between United States airlines to and from various points. At present each of the American lines possessed a monopoly for a particular route, although they met competition from non-American operators. Altogether 22 applications had been filed, so that the negotiations would be complex. Of that number, he considered that the four airlines most -seriously in line for Pacific operations, were Continental, Pan American, Eastern and Trans World Airlines.

A decision was unlikely in less than three years, but probably would be made within five.

By that time, he believed, there would be an upsurge in American and Pacific tourist travel that would warrant the introduction of a second United States service to New Zealand.

That, in turn, would create a much greater demand for hotel and other travel facilities. The primary responsibility in that regard would rest with New Zealand investors.

Although Continental Airlines carries no civilian passengers in the Pacific, it is one of the major carriers across the north Pacific as the leading contractor to the United States Military Airlift Command.