Air-fare report puzzles

Press, 19 April 1979, Page 16

Air-fare report puzzles

PA Wellington A report from Washington that Continental Airlines had still not received approved fare tables for flights to New Zealand — only two weeks before the flights would begin — has baffled Government and airline officias in New Zealand. A report by the Washington correspondent of the New Zealand Press Association, Max Lambert, had quoted Continental Airlines as being angry with the New Zealand Government. The report, dated April 16, | said 'hat with the first flight ! to Auckland from Los I Angeles only 14 days away,l the airline could still not! quote firm fares on some| sectors of the new flights. C onsequently, bookings with Continental to Australia were substantially higher than to New Zealand. The report quoted in-

[formed sources as saying i approval for Continental’s fare package was being delayed by the New Zealand Government, which was pressing for changes in some fares. All these suggestions do not make sense to either Government officials or to the airline’s representatives in New Zealand. They say the Continental package was approved by the Government last week, that Continental was inI formed by telegram last I Thursday, and that the airlline has been writing tickets since then. I The Deputy Chief Con- | (roller of Air Services Policy I Mr J. Kennedy-Good said Continental had filed two fare alternatives before Christmas, and two since. The third revision had been received just before aviation talks were held be-

> tween the United States and > New Zealand in Washington - last month. New Zealand 1 officials had worked hard to i familiarise themselves with i the details, but when they went to Washington neither , the United States negotiators . nor Continental had been j ready to begin talks on that 5 particular matter. Since then, Continental I had filed its fourth and final ■ revision, at the beginning of , last week. By last Thursday, the air- : line had been given appro- ■ val to charge the same basic ’ tare scale as Pan American Airways and Air New Zea- • land. Continental’s regional I director for New Zealand i (Mr W. Clague) confirmed i from Auckland that the airline had received the I approval, and had been : selling tickets since last week.