Air N.Z. calls for sense of patriotism

Press, 9 April 1979, Page 2

Air N.Z. calls for sense of patriotism

By

LES BLOXHAM

A cal! for patriotism and a sense of national consciousness to help Air New Zealand counter increasing pressures from outside was made by the airline's director of international affairs (Mr D. F. Toms) at a news media forum at Auckland. Mr Toms said the airline was experiencing difficulties with several countries, in-' eluding the United States, Britain. Australia, Fiji and 1 Samoa. “Idealism, far-sightedness.' tolerance, international harmony. and a coherent world network of air services are' threatened by conflicting philosophies which, in my i personal view, are of a) lower order of thinking, and; are selfish in their disregard' of other people’s interests) and legitimate alternative; opinions.'’ Mr Toms said. “While the American pol-1 icies may seem more revolu- l tionary and sound more self-l centred, in practice it is the Australians, not the Ameri-. cans, who have imposed on! us twice now — the con-: sequences of their unilateral: changing of the rules.” Mr Toms said he did not believe that the United States would exert the same; “crude” pressures on New) Zealand. But he warned that what-, ever the professed aims of! these new policies, national! airline interests and al “greed for greater market! shares” would always per-j gist. The “low fares” syndrome, was part illusory, “but we I must expect an increased! keenness in price com-1 petition in the face of rising! costs,” he said. “Air New; Zealand therefore must de-j cide very carefully what| products it should offer in j the marketplace, and make! sure it can offer them as; cheaply as anyone else.” Mr Toms said that while: deciding how to respond to these challenges, the airline' had other things to consider, i “We have an argument! with the British, whose! pragmatism is so highly! developed that their philosophies are barely dis-; cernible. They just want the!

i best of the deal — a natural . ;and understandable objective. In particular, they would like Cathay Pacific, as well » as British Airways, to have ’■a chop at our long-haul traf--s.fic to London. “We will soon be meeting' • Japan Air Lines and this! ' mas prepare the ground for' an inter-governmental agree-: ; ment for air services be-; ’ tween Japan and New Zea-, ’■land. It would not expect, • these negotiations to present! ' us with great new con-; ;ceptual problems. though, • there are difficult problems ' of other sorts — access to: ■ Japanese airports, fuel sup-! ' plies, and J.A.L.’s dominance; Lof the marketing organisations in Japan. ' “Threatened by the pol-, ! icies of our major neighbours. with our New Zea;l land long-haul traffic under ': attack and our long-haul I Australia-United States trafi fic diminished, what would be a logical attitude towards ■our island neighbours, such; 'as Fiji and Samoa, whose | airlines are in the process of ■; cutting back our market ■ shares and whose territories ! might be used to suck in I ! our long-haul traffic to the; U.S.A, and beyond?” Mr; ■ Toms said. ■| “In its new agreement; with Fiji, New Zealand is] (continuing to recognise the; right of such intermediate, ■airlines to carry a supple ! jmentary proportion of long-! .haul traffic,” he said. I : “Neighbourly relations are ■ likely to prevent us from ■ applying in full measure the i sort of severities imposed on us.” • II Mr Toms said Air New! (Zealand could not rely too (heavily on increased travel ■by New Zealanders. ■ “Our main interest now) 'must be in the development: (of tourism to New Zealand.; (Other national interests are! ■i relevant, such as provision j 'of freight space for export,;' land these become less diffi-ij ' cult as our total base ex-j- -: pa nds. I “I believe we have to fos- I :lter a national consciousness, ■ a practical patriotism, and (practical planning of the ; various elements in a kind ' iof ‘New Zealand Incorpor- 1 ■l ated’,” Mr Toms said.