Thousands of fans going to Africa for All Black tour

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34129, 15 April 1976, Page 1

Thousands of fans going to Africa for All Black tour

(By

LES BLOXHAM,

, travel editor of '‘The Press”)

Air New Zealand is planning a special DCIO flight from Auckland to South Africa on August 9 in an unprecedented move to help get rugby fans across the Indian Ocean for the All Black tour.

It will be the first time that the airline has shown its colours on the African continent. South African Government approval for the flight is expected within the next few days.

Supporters of the All Blacks have created such an enormous—and unexpected—demand for airline seats that the two regular carriers between Sydney and Johannesburg (Qantas and South African Airways) can no longer cope. Both will provide additional flights, but even these will not clear the backlog. More than 2000 New Zealanders have confirmed bookings, and many hundreds more are on waiting lists. The situation is so grim that a party of 37 N.A.C. and Air New Zealand pilots is being forced to fly to South Africa via Los Angeles and New York. A further 300 to 400 New Zealand businessmen will

also filter south to Johannesburg from Europe in time for the first test. Only 400 supporters from New Zealand followed the All Black tour of South Africa in 1970. Limited stay The situation for the airlines is aggravated by the fact that most of the fans will travel on excursion fares which limit them to a maximum stay in South Africa of 45 days. They will, therefore, ail be virtually flying together. “Without a doubt this will be the biggest group movement ever handled from New Zealand,” said Mr C. J Clark, South African Airways sales manager in Auckland. “The big influx of visitors will also create problems in South Africa, where the sa-

turation point as far as accommodation has already been passed. “In some areas supporters will be staying in hotels is far as 80 miles away from the venues,” said Mr Clark. On the morning of August 14 five jumbo jets and seven special trains will be used to ferry fans the 460 miles from Johannesburg to Bloemfontein for the second test. Air New Zealand’s DCIO will leave Auckland on August 9 with an expected full load of 240 passengers. It will be flown by an Air New Zealand crew to Johannesburg via Perth and Maui ritius. The return flight will be on September 21, three days after the fourth and final test. News that one of his aircraft would be venturing into South Africa came as a surprise to Air New Zealand’s chairman (Mr C. J. Keppel). “First I’ve heard of it,” he said yesterday. “■Approval soon' Mr D. C. Saxton, the airline’s public affairs manager, said later that the matter was still at a delicate stage of discussion with the South African Government. However, Mr Clark said that he had heard from his

head office in Johannesburg that approval for the flight would probably be announced very soon. “There will not be any problems — Air New Zealand will be more than welcome,” he said. Mr Clark described the public’s demand for seats to South Africa as incredible. “People seem not to be worried by the cost of fares which would average $3OOO each,” he said.