‘Moral support’ for air charter

Press, 19 May 1981, Page 6

‘Moral support’ for air charter

Christchurch City Council moral support for the trial World Air Charter service to the South Island was

promised last evening. Cheap flights scheduled to begin between Christchurch and [ Oakland, California, in August have been put back to November. According to a co-director. Mr J, G. Rutherford.

Tour operators in the United States wanted more time to get their advertising' programmes under way said Mr Rutherford last evening. In a letter to the council, Mr Rutherford said the first flights would probably hot be “anything, other than break-’ even operation” even under the best of circumstances.

“The chances of anyone -making money out of such, a project in the immediate future are extremely remote,” he said, “and the project is really too big for one company to hope to make a success of without very substantial community support.” Such support was in the .best interests of the City Council, which was promoting direct international flights to the city, airport. The main object of the Aqua Avia Society, under this guidance, had been to stimulate South Island tourism, Mr Rutherford said.

Now that he was out of that ' venture, World Air Charter, was the “ Mr Rutherford said . that

his credibility "has to some extent been lowered by . the Aqua Avia ’ debacle,” and it would require “very strong community support” to convince' the- public that- the charter company was- a genuine opportunity “to participate in the cheapest international: air service , that is likely to ' be, offered ,in the foreseeable future.”

He asked for promotional help from the council so that Char-Tour, which claimed to be the largest American charter. ; < operator, ‘ could market,the; South .Island to potential tourists. Char-Tours wanted assurance of regular patronage by American tourists on the flights. f “To be attracted to this new service, American tourists must be offered something that sounds exceptional,” Mr Rutherford said.

Some form of civic reception upon a’ flight’s arrival might be appropriate, and he was surprised .that nd public show: of support had yet come from the council. .

If the first flights from the United . States into Christchurch were not successful, that could discourage other carriers-from-using .the airport. . “World Airways are making these, two flights on a completely non-profit basis,” .Mr/ Rutherford said, - “and must have at least, threequarters of the aircraft full to break even.

;"We have to make a commitment to them for the future-flights before the end of June if there is to be a regular bi-monthly service.’,’ A publicity,: campaign greater than, his company could afford was needed. Although’. the council did not agree to a civic:reception, councillors, said that “a suitable Christchurch souvenir” should be available io incoming travellers on the inaugural flight: Cr Rex Lester said it was “exciting to see any proposal which suggests additional use of the airport.” The . council. would also give the American charter company publicity that could help it market South Island holidays. ' Cr Helen Garrett said-the council should be cautious: “Mr Rutherford is known as an enthusiast, but it all seems rather vague to me.” Cr Lester said that World Airways had a wide reputation as a charter carrier. “It isn’t as though we’re dealing with an air operator not equipped in the’ field,” he said. “In, fact, quite the contrary.” : The round-trip fare would be, SNZIIOO from Christchurch, but would be about‘sUS9oo from San Francisco. This meant that with ground travel and accommodation, the cost ‘of a twoweek holiday in New Zealand would be' less ; than SUS2OOO,

while the cost with a full farewould be about SUS3OOO, Mrßutherford said.

Many large United States companies offered free holidays as staff incentives, and the higher paid executives often qualified for a SUS2OOO holiday, usually to Europe. He expected . that much of this market could be taken by New Zealand if the prices were right, he said. The New Zealand Ministry of- Transport had given permission for the August and September flights, and now he would have to ask that these. be put back to November. He. did not see any problems' in this. Mr Rutherford said that some bank accounts and bonds had yet. to be finalised before the flights could begin. The company had to put up a bond to ensure'that, the flights were run correctly. World Air Charter planned to take about 350 passengers at a time in DClOs chartered from (World Airways at Oakland, iiear, San Francisco.

Mr Rutherford said that he had.-' put a' • “substantial, amount” into World Air Charter,\ registered" about two months ago.