Air N.Z. loses Australian stops

Press, 26 August 1977, Page 1

Air N.Z. loses Australian stops

By

LEX BLOXHAM.

Air New Zealand has been forced by the Australian Government to find a new route between Auckland and Hong Kong. At present, the airline has two DCIO flights a week to the colony via Australia, with limited passenger pick-up rights in Sydney and Brisbane. The service proved so popular that Qantas became concerned about the

number of passengers it was losing to its competitor. The Australian airline flies from Sydney to Hong Kong and then on to Tokyo. Discussions about pickup rights continued at Government level for almost 18 months but New Zealand had virtually nothing to bargain with. Qantas stopped flying “through” New Zealand in 1974 when it withdrew’ its Sydney - Auckland-

Papeete-Mexico City service. The final outcome was not unexpected — Air New’ Zealand will not be permitted to pick up Hong Kong-bound passengers in Australia after March 31. The airline’s reaction to the Australian Government’s ruling has been philosophical. “Naturally we would have liked the pick-up privilege to continue but in our business we have to

take what we are given,” said Mr M. R. Stanton, the New Zealand regional manager. The decision was “a bit tough” but the airline had little option but to bow to commercial pressure. Although Air New Zealand is not prepared to announce yet the new route it has in mind for its Hong Kong flights, there is a strong possibility that it will be via Port Moresby.

There is also a chance that the DClOs will fly direct, as some are doing now on the return flight from Hong Kong. When weather and payload permits, they do not land at Brisbane. Although the Australian ban will not be enforced until April 1, Air New Zealand will probably withdraw from Sydney before that date.