COMMERCIAL Ansett sees growth in passenger traffic

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33092, 6 December 1972, Page 27

COMMERCIAL Ansett sees growth in passenger traffic

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) MELBOURNE, December 5.

Ansett Airlines of Australia, Ltd, has increased passenger-mile traffic at a rate of about 10 per cent per annum since the beginning of October, the chairman of Ansett Transport Industries, Ltd (Sir Reginald Ansett), told shareholders at the annual meeting today.

During the first few months of the present financial year the company’s airline divisions experienced depressed economic conditions, aggravated by the prolonged fuel strike and an airline strike affecting the engineering sections.

‘‘However, I am pleased to report that we are now recovering from these setbacks and are at present enjoying a significant growth factor as measured against the same period last year,” Sir Reginald Ansett said. The directors were hopeful, and reasonably optimistic, that, during the remainder of the year, the improved economic climate would allow the company to make up lost ground. Sir Reginald Ansett again said that the company should be allowed to fly outside Australia.

“There is a very strong case why the Australian domestic airlines should be permitted to develop shorthaul international air services to New Zealand and other nearby countries where air routes are suitable to the range and performance of our equipment, and, of course, our Boeing 727 s have been specifically designed for this type of operation,” he said. “Foreign operators have been permitted to gain a foothold in Australia’s internal air-transport market with the granting of rights to operate between Australian capital cities. These rights have been given in international negotiations in return for benefits for Qantas,” Sir Reginald Ansett said.

Commenting on the Government’s decision to issue Trans Australia Airlines with licences to operate between Perth and Darwin, via Port Hedland, Sir Reginald Ansett said that the directors believed that Western Australia could not support two airline operators without an overall impairment of the state’s air services.

The route is now being serviced by Macßobertson Miller Airline Services, an Ansett subsidiary. Sir Reginald Ansett said that he believed that the decision to establish a PapuaNew Guinea national airline and one internal airline operator in the territory was a sound move. "We will offer to make our expertise, technical resources and assets available to the new national airline and have received assurances that the staff of Ansett Airlines of Papua-New Guinea will be given priority of employment when the new airline industry is restructured,” he said. Ansett has four Boeing

727-200 aircraft on order for delivery over the next three years. The first will be introduced into service on March 1 next year. Sir Reginald Ansett said

that if the television industry were to remain economically sound, and at the same time give the Australian public the opportunity to enjoy colour television at a reasonable cost, it was imperative that the cost of colour sets be kept to a minimum. He said that the management structure of Channel O Melbourne has been extensively reorganised in recent months and a new team of senior executives, with wide experience in television, is now managing the station. The programme ratings of Channel O, Brisbane, have increased since May. "As a consequence, revenue has substantially increased and a highly satisfactory result is anticipated,” he said.

The first of AnsettPioneer’s super-cruiser 40ft passenger coaches is now in operation. The company has ordered 10 of these vehicles at a cost of about $850,000.

The directors are investigating the feasibility of building another Gateway Inn in Adelaide on the site of the former South Australian Hotel.

It is expected that construction will start in the current financial year, the chairman said.

Metals

(N.Z.P.A. -Reuter— Copyright) LONDON, December 4. Buyers Sellers

a 'on £ a ton £ Copper .. .. 432.00 432:50 Tin .. 1574.00 1576.00 Lead .. 131.50 131.75 Zinc .. 160.25 160.50