Talks With Spanz On Sole Rights At Taupo Airport

Taupo Times, Volume XIV, Issue 55, 15 July 1965, Page 1

Talks With Spanz On Sole Rights At Taupo Airport

Taupo airport authority decided last night to invite South Pacific Airlines of New Zealand to Taupo to discuss the company's application to the Air Services Licensing Authority for sole rights to schedule and charter flights out of Taupo airport. Spanz announced its intention to mahe the application recently and at that stage, the chairman of the committee, Mr D. D. Davis, said he was "amazed" at the news. The committee now intends to discuss the move again in the light of any information Spanz puts before it.

Spanz announced at the end of last month that it planned to introduce two of the latest turbo-prop aircraft, the Hawker - Siddeley 748, on its routes in August next year. The airline intends to use the replacement planes on the two main routes north of Christchurch, but DC3s will continue to serve centres where hard runways have not been developed. "If we get a favourable decision by the authority," said the general manager, Captain R. D. Daniell, "we will prepare a new projspectus for £200000 new capital." He said this amount would be sufficient to cover all contingencies associated with establishing the new aircraft in service. Provision had been made to reduce the amount owing to the Government by £10,000 a year. The Hawker - Siddeley 748 will co^t about £340000 each but the total cost is expected to reach £800,000 with spares and pilot training courses. Spanz has several applications before the authority but no date has yet been set for hearings. The airline is seeking sole rights to and from Taupo in both . timetable and charter services where the aircraft used exceed a

>assenger capacity of seven seats. If Spanz's move were successful, it would cut across hopes some local people have expressed for a crosscountry service between Napier - Taupo - New Plymouth and, perhaps, Hamilton - Taupo Napier. This appears to be the ultimate in services, since at present

these places are almost impossible to reach by air from Taupo or from Napier or New Plymouth, as the case may be. On the other hand, there are many who feel the district owes some loyalty to Spanz who pioneered the Taupo route and who originally sponsored the first pumice strip at Rangitaiki.