Cheap air fare may be stopped

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32885, 7 April 1972, Page 3

Cheap air fare may be stopped

<N.Z. Preu Association!. AUCKLAND, April 6. Cheap air fares from Auckland to Britain might crash land in London next week, when the International Air Transport Association holds an emergency meeting. The meeting was called for tomorrow in Geneva, but was postponed until Monday because combatants in the “fare war” could not get there in time. The five airlines involved —Qantas, Air New Zealand, B.OJLC., Pan American and U.T.A.-French Airlines —may restore the fares to more profitable levels. Members of the Commonwealth poo! — Qantas, Air New Zealand, Air India, 8.0.A.C., and MalaysiaSingapore Airlines — are meeting now in Singapore. This meeting was planned before the $420 Auckland-London fare was announced on Wednesday, but the fare will undoubtedly be discussed. U.T.A-French Airlines today joined the battle by announcing a $420 Auck-

land-London fare. The French and New Zealand Governments approved the fare this afternoon, and it will take effect immediately. U.T.A. passengers will fly to Los Angeles, where they will transfer to Air France flights to London by way of Paris, or to Pan American services direct to London. Air New Zealand has a similar arrangement with Pan American. The U.TA move today leaves only American Airlines without a cheap flight to London from Auckland. Qantas, which started the war with an AucklandLondon fare of $5lB last week-end, will decide any further move at a meeting in Sydney next Wednesday. Qantas has not matched the $420 Auckland-London fare. It offers a fare of $420 to London from Sydney. Airline offices in Auckland today were rushed with inquiries about the $420 fare, but interest in the Qantas fare dropped today after a strong inquiry on Tuesday.