Air N.Z. gets third weekly flight to U.K.

Press, 3 July 1985, Page 3

Air N.Z. gets third weekly flight to U.K.

PA Wellington Air New Zealand has won approval for a third weekly flight to Britain, through Los Angeles. In return, New Zealand has given British Airways a third weekly flight into New Zealand, through Singapore and Australia. The expansion of the United Kingdom-New Zealand route was announced yesterday by the Minister of Civil Aviation, Mr Prebble, after talks with the British Government. The new service is expected to begin by April next year. “The talks have resulted in an agreement for a major expansion of aircraft seat capacity between New

Zealand and Britain and New Zealand and Hong Kong,” Mr Prebble said. The new agreement offered real benefits to New Zealand tourists and New Zealand exporters, he said. “Air New Zealand’s flights to Britain have been overbooked this British summer.” The airline’s managing director, Mr Norman Geary, said there had been very strong customer demand for the extra flight to Britain. "While there were some' ale who felt it was a ess move by the company to operate beyond Los Angeles, it has been clear for some time that the airline’s initiative was well

justified,” he said. The route had been running at two services a week since August, 1982, and had attracted high patronage, Mr Geary said. Mr Prebble said the Government had also approved a direct New Zealand-Hong Kong service, replacing the previous New Zealand-Hong Kong service via Port Moresby. This stopped when Air Niugini withdrew at the beginning of this year, and New Zealand exporters lost valuable market shares, he said. The new service would be a joint one between Cathay Pacific and Air New Zealand and would begin as soon as possible,” Mr Prebble said.