S.I. air charter application supported

Press, 10 December 1981, Page 11

S.I. air charter application supported

Supporters of Air Charter Christchurch’s application to start non-scheduled scenic flights in the South Island included Labour's spokesman on aviation, Mr N. J. Kirk. The company yesterday received approval from the Air Services Licensing Authority to fly non-scheduled round-trip scenic services from Christchurch - Milford Sound - Queenstown Christchurch. Mr Kirk told an authority hearing in Christchurch that he supported the application because “the little man needs to be spoken up for.” “It is time that people who are able to provide specialised services to the South Island tourist industry were permitted to do so under . proper licence,” he said. It was refreshing still to see people such as Air Charter Christchurch take up the challenge that many would now baulk at. “Such an enterprise should not go unrecognised in terms of what service to our visitors can mean to the future of New Zealand’s economy.

especially with regard to earning overseas exchange,” Mr Kirk said. The South Island needed to muster all the abilities of its people, worker and employer alike, to boost the opportunity of prosperity through tourism. Anything that enhanced tourists’ choice, comfort, and opportunity to spend overseas exchange was welcomed. Evidence was given by Mr P. K. Wakeman, a director of Air Charter Christchurch, that the company was already, licensed to provide air charters and air taxi services, but it sought a nonscheduled licence so that it could advertise its services, particularly overseas. Mr Wakeman said that many tourists had limited time to spare, and might not be attracted to touring the South Island by road. Air Charter Christchurch proposed a service that would cater for such tourists by “packaging” their tour into a few hours, covering scenic attractions which by road would take days.

He said that the Mount Cook Group, Ltd, the sole objector to the application, offered flights which transported passengers from “A to B” but did not concentrate on scenic flights. “They (Mount Cook) cruise at high altitudes, frequently above cloud which eliminates any scenic advantages.” Mr Wakeman submitted letters in support of the application from several sources, including the Christchurch Motel Association, the public utilities committee of the Christchurch City Council; the Bank of New South Wales Travel Service; Thos Cook Travel; Ballins Industries, • Ltd; Noahs Hotel; the South Island Promotion Association; and the chairman of Fletcher Challenge, Ltd, Mr R. R. Trotter. Mount Cook opposed the application saying that its company provided adequate services over the proposed routes, and that the proposed flights would take passengers away from the airline. Mr D. A. McLachlan, com-

mercial manager of Mount Cook’s airline division, told the hearing that nonscheduled services could not be practicably flown into and out of Milford Sound with any greater regularity than an air taxi and air charter licence. Non-scheduled services were impracticable because of the erratic demand caused by peaks in the tourist industry. and because the weather pattern in the area made it impossible to maintain a regular “timetabled” service. “If the applicant is successful, we do not believe that his organisation and facilities will enhance the services which are now available •to the travelling public and tourist industry. Any traffic they (Air Charter Christchurch) do carry over these routes will be at the expense of services already provided by my company,” said Mr McLachlan. The hearing was before Messrs J. H. 0. tiller (chairman), G. K. Grocott, and P. Hansen.