AIRLINE ASKED TO USE CHRISTCHURCH

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31349, 20 April 1967, Page 1

AIRLINE ASKED TO USE CHRISTCHURCH

Pan American World Airways was yesterday challenged to provide Christchurch with a service and generate the traffic that was potentially available now, by Cr A. R. Guthrey, chairman of the Christchurch City Council’s airport committee.

Speaking at a luncheon held by the airline, Cr Guthrey said that Christchurch had provided every possible aviation requirement and that it now needed enterprising airlines to take advantage of its facilities.

“I say that what is good for Christchurch is good for Pan American,” said Cr. Guthrey.

Replying to comments by the Pacific area vice-president of the airline (Mr J..G. O’DonneU), Cr. Guthrey said that Christchurch sought more than admiration of its facilities from overseas visitors. It Wanted their use.

The best way of achieving this was to inaugurate a direct Pan American service between Honolulu and Christchurch. “We have no objection to Auckland being used by Pan American as a stop on its service to Australia, but if the airline really wants to serve New Zealand effectively, the opportunity is available now for a direct service to ‘Christchurch.”

Cr. Guthrey predicted that a rich harvest awaited the first international airline to provide a direct service between the South Island and the United States by way erf Honolulu. “Because of its pioneering achievements, Pan American deserves this honour, and I would like to see it achieve it,” he said. Effect On Economy

Earlier Mr O’Donnell spoke of the impact of the supersonic jets on the New Zealand economy. He suggested that this “third wave” was going to knit New Zealand into the fabric of world trade and tourism more closely than ever before. He said he could think of no part of the world which would be more vitally affected than New Zealand by the evolutionary changes which now loomed large on the horizon of the aviation industry. He said it would have a profound effect on New Zealand and change its relationship with the world in many ways.

The next wave of change and development would affect almost every element of the Dominion’s industry. “For a whose economy de-

pends on long-haul transport, this change should come as a real blessing,” he said. “In 1965-06, 153,000 visitors came to New Zealand and spent £ll million while they were here—a fantastic 25 per cent increase over the previous year. During 1967 we forecast 170,000 to 180,000 persons will visit New Zealand and spend £l5 million,” said Mr O’Donnell. “Our forecast for 1970 will almost double that figure. Five years later we anticipate that this will have increased to £5O ipillion in overseas earnings,” he said. 5000 A Week

Mr O’Donnell said that although some of the airline’s forecasts would not directly affect New Zealand, by 1970 Pan American would be bringing almost 5000 tourists a week into the South Pacific —a figure which would do much to stimulate the Dominion’s tourist industry and go a long way to help improve its present balance of payments imbalance. He promised to do what he could with his board of management to see that Christchurch got the service it deserved.