Mt Cook puts up air fares

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33962, 1 October 1975, Page 2

Mt Cook puts up air fares

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, September 29.

All Mount Cook Airlines fares and freight rates will increase tomorrow, and the company says that another increase will he necessary to meet higher oil prices.

The company said in aI statement today that the increases were granted by the Air Services! Licensing Authority. The biggest increase of 35. per cent will apply to fares; on the amphibian servicesl out of Mechanics Bay, Auckland. Fares on the amphibian services between Invercargill and Stewart Island will go up 15 per cent. On the main trunk routes between Kerikeri-Auckland-Rotorua - Christchurch - Mount Cook-Queenstown and Te Anau. fares will rise bv' $2.50 a journey, rounded to : the nearest whole dollar, which represents over all i routes an average 9.4 per! cent increase. All air taxi, and air charter rates for the light air-! craft division at Mount Cook,, Queenstown. Manapouri,- and! Westland will rise by 10 per 1 cent.

Freight and excess baggage rates on all services will rise by 10 per cent. The assistant general manager (finance) of Mount Cook Airlines (Mr T. K. Cherry): said the increases had been brought about by inflation, which had affected all as-' pects of operations. They! were designed to return some reasonable measure off profitability to the company. He said, however, that the : application did not include! the effects of the recent oil I price increase announced by ■ the O.P.E.C. countries, and a!

I further fare increase would be needed to cover the latest cost increases.