Chch-U.S. flight a ‘breakthrough’ for South Island

Press, 9 May 1985, Page 1

Chch-U.S. flight a ‘breakthrough’ for South Island

Staff reporter

A once-a-week return air service between Christchurch and North America will be started by Air New Zealand on October 27.

It will fly ChristchurchNandi - Honolulu - Los Angeles and has been hailed by the Minister of Tourism and Overseas Trade, Mr Moore, as “a long-awaited breakthrough.” It will complement Air New Zealand’s two Auck-land-Los Angeles services. Mr Moore attributed Air New Zealand’s ability to buy its new aircraft now as the main factor in influencing the decision to start the service.

He said the service had to be a commercial success. If it were not viable Air New Zealand would not be subsidised by the taxpayer to keep running it. The service would provide a more convenient link to the Pacific for South Island exporters and travellers, and at the same time offer more direct access to the South Island for tourists from the United States on their way to the resorts.

The South Island had had great difficulty in getting its export products to North America, said Mr Moore, citing horticultural products, smoked salmon, and computer products as examples.

Using 747 s on the route would mean 420 seats on each flight, providing a potential 22,000 visitor arrivals each year, and a

possible income of about $2O million a year. The service had the potential to create more than 1100 new jobs in the Christchurch area alone. The airline’s chief executive, Mr Norman Geary, told a function in Christchurch last evening that South Islanders should put their money where their mouths' were.

“Indeed, I would like to think that the service will be so successful that Air New Zealand will be able to look very seriously at adding a second direct service at a very early date,” Mr Geary said.

He said the new service

would fly south on Sundays and north on Tuesdays. About 25 tonnes of cargo would be included on the flight from Christchurch each week.

Mr Geary said that Japanese tourists would be able to fly direct to Christchurch from Nandi on Tuesdays after a 24-hour stopover en route from Tokyo.

He contrasted the new service with DCB flights into the Pacific area from Christchurch in the mid--19705, blaming poor patronage for their failure.

He said the airline and the community should have as its goal a second or third direct service from Christchurch.

The Mayor of Christchurch, Sir Hamish Hay, is “absolutely delighted” by Air New Zealand’s announcement.

Sir Hamish said yesterday afternoon he was sure that all South Islanders, particularly Christchurch people, would share in his pleasure in hearing of the direct flights.

“I hope that people will patronise this service so that it quickly becomes viable for Air New Zealand,” Sir Hamish said. He said the service would also be of benefit to North American visitors who pre-

ferred to spend more time in the South Island.

“We have done research quite recently and have recently made submissions to Air New Zealand to show that visitors from North America prefer to spend longer in the South Island than the North and this will cater for them as well. Our research shows there could well be justification for two services a week,” Sir Hamish said.

The new service will be the first international commercial service to use the Christchurch Airport runway extensions, with the exception of flights to Australia. The United States Naval Support Force Antarctica uses the extensions for Starlifter flights from Christchurch.

The chairman of the Christchurch City Council’s airport committee, Dr Morgan Fahey, said he was also delighted with the announcement.

“It has encouraged us now to put our weight behind hotels that could cope with the potential North American market we hope is there. With good tourist development the potential also exists for South-East Asia and North America,” Dr Fahey said.