Solution likely soon in Fiji air-rights row

Press, 28 August 1978, Page 6

Solution likely soon in Fiji air-rights row

By

LES BLOXHAM.

travel editor

A dispute over air rights I which threatens to halt ser-it vices between New Zealand is and Fiji from the end of next it April seems likely to be re-it solved. Jr The Fiji Government gave! notice four months ago that t it would terminate the exist- |f ing bilateral air-rights agree- t ment after long negotiations c with New Zealand had failed! to produce a better deal for a Fiji’s airline, Air Pacific, if Air Pacific wanted to flyig direct betwyeen Nandi and it Auckland but this was op-;r posed by Air New Zealand.it which said that under the ex-|r isting agreement the Fijian, c airline could flv onlv through, Suva. If Several meetings between ’ /

the airlines have been held; since then and industry' (Sources now say that both! parties should be in a posi-j tion to report to their respective governments an. (agreement which will form I the basis for a new arrange-j' : ment. ; Meanwhile Air Pacific has won the temporary right to fly one direct service be- , tween Nandi and Auckland : on Wednesdays. The airline’s general man- : ager in Suva (Captain Alan Bodger) is pleased with progress. “The talks are con- • tinuing in a satisfactory man-1 ner and I am now confident!: that the whole issue will be I, resolved well before the April deadline.” he said; “We are still holding out] for three direct Nandi-1 Auckland services and three 1

i out of Suva. That would then give us a much fairer share lof the market.” I The airline took delivery of its third B.A.C. 1-11 twinjet aircraft last month and I yesterday inaugurated a (weekly service between Nandi and Pago Pcgo. in American Samoa.

Captain Bodger, who recently took over as general manager after 18 years with Gulf Air in Bahrain, confinned that the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr H. G. Hay) had asked the airline if it could fly to Christchurch.

“We would be in like a shot if New Zealand would give us carrying rights between Christchurch and Auckland but we know that jthat sort of agreement is just | not on at present,” said Cap•tain Bodger.