NZ News

After arriving in London, however, the 727 (ex United Airlines 1968 vintage) was diverted at short notice to Jordan to help rescue Asian workers driven out of Kuwait after the Iraqi invasion on August 2. The decision forced the 60 strong Battle of Britain contingent to wing their way home on scheduled Air New Zealand flights from Gatwick at a cost of $150,000.

For 14 days from September 13, the 90 seat 727 operated a virtual shuttle service flying refugees -as many as 120 at a time on some flights – from Amman to Colombo, Karachi, Dhakka, Delhi and Manila. New Zealand so far has made no tactical military contribution to the multi-national forces in the Gulf, but the RNZAF did play an earlier relief role with a C-130 Hercules. It flew a load of milk powder to Egypt and then made several mercy missions from Jordan to Karachi and Manila. The whole operation, the Air Force’s biggest peacetime relief mission since Cyclone Tracey hit Darwin in 1974, involved five crews and has cost $2. 6m.

Big Loss to Airways Corp

Air New Zealand’s decision to withdraw its F27 regional services and the folding of its freight airline subsidiary, Safe Air, is expected to cost the already hard pressed Airways Corporation more than $2m over the next six months.

The state owned corporation, which has copped a lot of flak from the industry for its price hikes over the past year, is responsible for the provision and funding of the country’s air traffic control services. It is well down the track with a long overdue $?Om modernisation program, but the loss of revenue is unlikely to delay that project.

The Corporation’s income is derived from levies based on aircraft weight. Although the provincial services will be maintained by smaller airlines using smaller equipment, the Corporation would need, say, 3. 5 Metroliner flights to produce the same revenue as one F27. To help make up for the shortfall, the Corporation will now halve the 65% discount on fees which it had offered to the commuter airlines – a decision which will nearly double the Airways charges for many regional flights.

For instance, the existing fee for a 50min Metroliner flight between Nelson and Christchurch will go up from $NZ45 to $NZ80.

Increases in other aviation charges imposed by the Ministry of Transport have been the topic of bitter debate between the airline operators, the Airways Corporation and the Government for almost a year now. International airlines had originally threatened not to pay, but they have since capitulated, leaving the smaller operators to fight the battle alone.

The latest big increase involves meteorological forecasts, a move which will send the Nelson Aviation College’s existing annual fee of $NZ700 for a daily faxed forecast to $NZ6,000. The college’s director, Walter Wagtendonk, has warned that student pilots might have to fly without forecasts. Accusing the Ministry of gross overpricing, he said that if pilots wanted updated weather information while in flight, they would be charged extra for it. “It’s a very dangerous Government structure and flight safety is going to be affected,” he said.

More Cuts for Air NZ

Air New Zealand, which announced domestic staff cutbacks of 600 in July, is expected to make further cuts in a massive restructuring plan for its international services. Although full details will not be released until the end of the year, it is believed that the airline is also looking at slashing the number of flight attendants and engineers. The airline hopes to have a 747-400 flying by the end of November. It was forced to lease its first -400 to Cathay Pacific after failing to hammer out an agreement with its pilots. That aircraft is now likely to join the fleet early next year. This will allow it to either sell or lease out one of the five existing 7 47-200s. Cuts ininflight manning will be made possible by a reduction in the number of seats in both the first and business class cabins of the 747s.

Like most other airlines, Air New Zealand has been savagely mauled by fuel price increases in the wake of the Gulf crisis. This, together with Ansett’s increasing grip on the domestic market, is prompting some commentators to predict that the airline could be hard pushed to produce an operating profit this year. The company’s shares, which were launched at 230 cents 18 months ago, are continuing to slide with the weak New Zealand stock market and were worth, at time of writing, 147 cents.

Costly Puff in the Loo

In the first case of its kind, a 40 cigarettes a day salesman was fined $NZ100 by a Wellington judge for sneaking a puff in the loo on a flight between Auckland and Wellington last February. It is an offence which carries a maximum penalty of either six months in jail or a $1,000 fine.

The man, whose name was suppressed, was also ordered to pay $140 in costs. The judge said the case would serve as a warning that the prohibition on smoking in aircraft was there for a purpose. The prosecution was not based on the recently introduced health measure which banned all smoking on domestic flights in New Zealand, but on the 1953 civil aviation regulations which prohibit lighting up in toilets for safety reasons.

Upgrade for Queenstown

New Zealand’s top tourist spot at the bottom of the South Island is at last going to get upgraded air traffic control facilities. Jet flights into Queenstown, which sits in a basin surrounded by mountains, have always been conducted at the mercy of the weather. When overcast conditions prevent a direct approach, slower turboprop aircraft have traditionally wound their way under the cloud layer through the Kawerau Gorge.

The chairman of the Airways Corporation, Rex Loach, said a new Doppler navigation system would be installed next year which would eliminate the need for valley or gorge flying.

Jets for Mount Cook?

Mount Cook Airlines is offering no comment on what it describes as “speculation” that it will be leasing two Boeing 737s from Air New Zealand for use on some of its routes early next year. The rumour has been fanned by the fact that the airline’s pilots are currently undertaking a training course on 737s. Mount Cook’s main work horses for the past 20 years have been its 748s. However, the airline is now facing tough competition from the Ansett New Zealand fleet of BAe 146 jets.

Mount Cook, which could have led the field with New Zealand’s first BAe 146s had it accepted a proposal of a former chief executive, Philip Phillips, five years ago, has been looking at replacements for its 748s since 1988. Asked when the company would make a decision, a spokesman gave the same old stock answer: “We’re assessing it”. She said there was “still plenty of life” left in the 748s. Undoubtedly. But jet age visitors who are committed to Mount Gook’s services might expect something faster and more modern to fly around New Zealand’s tourist routes in, particularly in view of the pure jet services now being offered by its major competitor