Air N.Z. may be hit by Heathrow strike

Press, 9 April 1977, Page 2

Air N.Z. may be hit by Heathrow strike

NZPA London;; Air New Zealand expects j, to lose passengers, and[ therefore money, as a result i of industrial action at Lon- ‘ don’s Heathrow Airport , which has kept much of the • 'British Airways fleet on the [ground for almost a week. 1 The New Zealand and;' I British international flag air-; [lines have leasing arrange-! [ments on flights tnroughj' [Los Angeles, but' the dispute! is also probably affecting h Air New Zealand’s routes to] [Hong Kona and Singapore. I [ “It is difficult to tell, but), [we must be losing money; [and passengers,” said Air;' New Zealand’s European [manager (Mr lan Coburn), [ i after learning that BritishAirways maintenance engin- ; ! eers at Heathrow have re-

jected a peace formula nego-j itiated by airline and union' [officials. I “Just generalising, it’s noti [good for us,” he said. So far. Air New Zealand i DClOs on flights from Auck-i land to Los Angeles, and; then on charter to British) j Airways to London, were' jstill running, although; scheduling had been thrown! [out. I The maintenance engin-1 leers, concerned about the; [erosion of pay differentials; |for skilled workers, want to I Igo outside official bargaining! [machinery to bid for higher) [pay. The dispute parallels; one at British Leyland last) month, which almost j brought the company to aj standstill. The toolroom workers at*

[Leyland, who had a similar; 11 case about differentials, have! [given their support to the) [British Airways men. I The Heathrow strike hast [dashed the Easter holiday! [hopes of thousands of BritII ons, especially those plan-) ning to travel to Europe or [ [[within Britain. British Airways inter-” '• national flights were still j '[running, but on a reduced; schedule and with the possi-i ■ bility of a total shutdown. [ 0 The effect on Air New: [Zealand in Hong Kong and) '[Singapore is that passengers! :[who had booked to “fly the! ■[flag” — the advertising slo-| ;gan of British Airways —to [ ithe two Asian centres and) I then fly on Air New Zealand) [are either not arriving, or! [arriving too late for con- 1 Jnecting flights. j