Tokyo stopover ban angers airline

Press, 14 October 1985, Page 20

Tokyo stopover ban angers airline

NZJN Tokyo Japan has appealed to Britain to lift a ban on excursion Tokyo stopovers for New Zealanders flying to Europe, but London has refused. Japan Air Lines has expressed surprise and concern at the sudden clampdown which last week halted New Zealanders buying Japan stops at almost half the normal AucklandLondon economy fare. A J.A.L. spokesman said appeals to both London and Auckland had failed to break the impasse. “We will keep trying to get some sense into this situation,” he said. Behind the British chop on rising traffic between

New Zealand and Europe via Tokyo is British Airways insistance — and Air New Zealand compliance — that the drain on directflight business be ended. The British carrier appears annoyed by the growth in the over-the-Pole excursion which New Zealand tourists were taking in increasing numbers. British interpretation of an agreement it has with Japan is that there is no clause permitting this traffic so it asserts that J.A.L. is violating the agreement. J.A.L., which worked for four years to encourage New Zealand tourists as Cart of a rapidly rising flow etween the countries, says the stopovers should be allowed because the pact does

not preclude them. A deal between Britain and the United States specifically allows for stopovers and British negotiators have told Japan that is the way bilateral arrangements work J.A.L. has been offering the same fares as Air New Zealand offers to London via Los Angeles and other airlines via Singapore. The normal AucklandLondon economy fare is $2863. But an advance purchase excursion fare is available at $l5lO in off season and $1750 in peak season, with special offers even lower. Until London ordered a halt in ticket sales, New Zealanders were taking the Tokyo stopover at the ex-

cursion rates. J.A.L?s head office was caught by surprise and is still assessing moves at both airline and Government levels.

“First London said it was all right to proceed and then they change their minds,” the J.A.L. spokesman said.

“We are extremely surprised. We thought we had the all-clear. Now the situation has changed.” J.A.L.’s New Zealand sales manager, Mr John Summerville, has said the company will continue to sell the promotional fares subject to approval. “There is a question of consumer interest,” Mr Summerville said.

Copyright, N.Z. Japan News