Airline Affairs

Whilst talking of FF plans, it seems that perhaps the biggest winner in the recently introduced schemes by Ansett and Australian will be Australia Post. With each scheme now hosting around 70-80,000 members it is interesting to note that each FF member receives a minimum of one mail item each month. That is around two million first class mail items per annum at 43 cents a unit. They can keep their famous toaster, we’ll take the shares in APO when they eventually hit the market!

Sunstate Fleet Upgrade:

Australian Airlines subsidiary Sunstate Airlines (Mildura) is upgrading its fleet with the introduction of two pressurised 36 passenger DHC Dash 8s.

The introduction of the Dash 8s coincides with Sunstate starting services to Tasmania. The airline will use one of the new aircraft to replace a Shorts 360 which currently flies between Mildura and Melbourne, while the other Dash 8 will operate from Melbourne to Launceston and Devonport.

These services were previously flown by another Australian Airlines affiliate, Easter Australia, which also used Dash 8s. Easter Australia will withdraw the aircraft to New South Wales to help fill the gap left by Hazelton’s recent abandoning of several country services.

New Hong Kong Air Agreement:

After six years of negotiation, a new Hong Kong-Australia Air Services Agreement has been signed which will allow Qantas and Cathay Pacific to double their services between the ports over the next three years.

The ASA is the first between the two governments which totally separates the aviation interests of Hong Kong and Britain. The new agreement will allow Cathay Pacific to increase its current 12 flights per week to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth and will allow the airline to take advantage of the growing number of passengers travelling to Australia. The Hong Kong-Australia market has increased by more than 14% this year with further strong growth expected as business and family ties strengthen and the tourist market expands.

For Qantas, the deal will at last allow it to link Hong Kong with its Asian hubs, Singapore and Bangkok and enable it to fly through the Colony and on to one European destination.

Delta/Panam Deal Done:

Delta Airlines has removed the last hurdle in its bid to conclude the $US416m takeover of PanAm’s transatlantic routes (referp. 21Sept 91 AA)by agreeing to commit 42 aircraft to the US Civil reserve Air Fleet and pay the US Air Force $US25m to satisfy Pan Am’s CRAF obligations. The deal now has the approval of the US government.

The USAF was worried that it might lose its investment of several hundred million dollars in upgrading 19 PanAm Boeing 747s to make them convertible from passenger to freight aircraft when used by the CRAF. Of those 19. one was lost in the Lockerbie accident and 11 others have been repossessed following PanAm’s collapse. The remaining seven 747s will join a further 35 of Delta’s aircraft (767ERs and TriStars among them) in the Civil Reserve program, the first time the Atlanta based airline has been involved. The value of the CRAF to the US military was well illustrated during the Gulf War.

Compass Trading Suspended:

Compass Airlines’ parent company. Compass Holdings, was briefly suspended from trading on the Australian Stock Exchange last month after it failed to issue its annual report by the required deadline.

Suspension is automatic in such cases and the report-delayed by technical problems was issued shortly afterwards. Compass also told the exchange that it was amending its 1990-91 results after the directors decided not to take credit for future tax benefits. Compass reported a $16. 5m pre tax loss which was reduced to a net loss of $10. 3m after claiming the tax benefit worth $6. 2m. Compass directors expect the benefit from the 1990-91 loss would be obtained in the tax return for 1991-92.

AA Comment: Astute share market watchers might be interested in paying a little more attention to Compass stock prices. Since their release late in 1990 the launch price of 50c a share has seen-sawed from a high of 53c to as low as 34c with one or two cent movements being recorded almost daily. We don’t really know if Bryan and Co are actually making an operating profit from Compass yet but there must be some smart investors out there who are doing nicely on what is very interesting stock.

 Eastwest Introduces Its First 727 to Cater for Increase in Passengers:

Eastwest will introduce its first Boeing 727-200 in January to cater for a substantial increase in passengers it expects on its primary routes through 1992.

The ex-Ansett Boeing, which seats 164 passengers, will be operated throughout the airline’s network of holiday destinations along the east coast of Australia. Eastwest will in turn transfer one of its eight 96 seat BAe 146-300s to Ansett New Zealand, and replace it with the larger 727 increasing capacity by around 10%.

Besides providing extra capacity for Eastwest, the 727 offers significant financial advantages. In this configuration, it has the lowest seat kilometre costs of any narrow bodied jet aircraft operating in Australia and is particularly efficient over long haul sectors. The flight crew will comprise both Eastwest and Ansett pilots and the flight attendants will be from Eastwest. The 727 will be configured with an all economy six abreast cabin offering 32in seat pitch.

Southern Pacific Airlines Expands:

Southern Pacific Airlines, a new operation resurrected from the defunct Norfolk Airlines, at presstime was close to commencing a daily service from Sydney to Tamworth, utilising Nord Mohawks.

The service will be provided on behalf of Ansett Express, and, was anticipated to commence in early December. Technical and cabin crew training has already been completed for the new operation. (Peter Gamble)

1992 Domestic Tourism Looking Good:

According to a recent Roy Morgan Poll, 71% of Australians say they will be likely to take a holiday in Australia during the next two years. Top destinations listed were the Gold Coast, Barrier Reef, Northern Territory. Perth and Tasmania.

Meanwhile, the Tourism Futures consultancy group predicts a strengthening of inbound tourism into Australia during the early 1992 through to late 1994 period. Tourism Futures believes that July 1991 may have been the turning point for inbound tourism after a long period on uncertain growth following the 1988 peak year. The July 1991 data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics on visitor arrivals show that although growth for January-July was only 2. 9% above the same period of 1990, growth for the month was up 12. 4%. Increases were spread across the board with encouraging signs of new life in the UK, US and NZ to Australia markets.

Meanwhile a worrying trend now emerging concerns the ability of retirees to take. advantage of the great airfare deals now. being offered within Australia. Problem is that the dramatic fall in interest rates this past year has seen the disposable incomes of people living largely off the interest of their accumulated reserves fall by as much as 50%.

Though the vastly lower interest rates of late 1991 are a significant boon to young marrieds and all who are carrying some form of mortgage or loan, these people often are not in a financial position to do a lot of travel.

Over the past year one of the largest growth markets domestically has been in encouraging retired people to visit other parts of Australia.

Through ‘1992 this market may be substantially reduced which is something that will deserve close attention from all concemed.

 Continental Sheds Micronesia:

In a bid to raise additional cash, Continental Airlines is to sell its Air Micronesia subsidiary to the Pacific Micronesia Corporation, owned principally by a Hong Kong investment bank.

The deal, worth $US290m in cash and preferred stock to beleaguered Continental (which is currently operating under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection) consists of the sale of all routes operated by Continental/Air Micronesia, which flies about 60 departures. a day from Guam to destinations throughout the Pacific. Not part of the sale are Continental’s Honolulu, Tokyo and South Pacific routes, the latter including Australia and New Zealand.

The North-West Is Cheaper:

Air travel from the eastern states to the northwest of Western Australia has always been extremely expensive, but a series of holiday packages recently released by Ansett will ease the burden considerably.

Called “Slipaway” holidays, the packages

involve buying travel and five nights accommodation at either Broome, Exmouth or Kununurra and having two extra nights. accommodation thrown in for nothing. From Sydney, the packages cost $1,060, $967 and $1. 020, respectively, with slight variations

applying to other east coast ports of origin. The “Slipaway” package offer ends on 30 April 1992.

Compass to the Territory:

Compass Airlines is planning to start services to Alice Springs next year, encouraged by the Northern Territory government which would also like to see the airline fly to Darwin.

Compass is looking at the possibility of a Cairns/Alice Springs/Darwin route when it takes delivery of its sixth Airbus in the first quarter of 1992. The Territory is fervent ground for Compass as RPKs into the region are currently up around 50% higher than the national average. Alice Springs and Darwin have just opened new terminals and the former is planning for international status with the introduction of international charters in 1992 while negotiations are also underway to make Darwin a free port in order to enable international carriers to better serve the city without affecting their existing bilateral agreements with the Commonwealth.

Meanwhile, Compass introduced yet another innovative marketing idea in November. The two for one scheme allowed purchasers of a full economy airfare to gain a second ticket for a friend or family member. The only requirement was that both people travel on the same fight to and from the same destination. The offer closed on December 5.

 Northwest’s Extra Services:

Northwest Airlines has received Australian government approval to operate one stop services between Sydney and New York via Osaka (Japan) and nonstop flights between Sydney and Los Angeles.

Less than six months after commencing services in the South Pacific region, Northwest now has daily flights to and from Australia. The new approvals mean the airline now operates three weekly flights from Sydney to New York via Osaka, three weekly nonstop flights between Sydney and Los Angeles and one between Sydney and Los Angeles via Honolulu. Brisbane to Los Angeles services (via Sydney and Honolulu) will be introduced in July 1992.

European Regionals on the Up:

Despite a general downturn in the aviation industry worldwide, member carriers of the European Regional Airlines (ERA) group have gone against the trend and recorded a 7% growth in passengers carried in the first half of 1991 compared with the previous year. ERA has 49 airlines and 20 airports among its members.

Meanwhile, the major European airlines continue to be those most seriously affected by the recession, with the first eight months of 1991 showing revenue passenger kilometres (RPK) 10% below the same period of 1990. Load factors are also down at 66% in the January-August 1991 period compared with 70% last year. But there is hope, as preliminary figures suggest that September 1991 would match or even slightly exceed the same month of 1990.

Crash Hurts Lauda:

The crash of the Lauda Air Boeing 767 over Thailand earlier this year had an immediate effect on the airline’s business, costing an estimated $US4-5m in lost revenue.

Lauda’s load factors dropped dramatically after the crash but recovered after it was established that the accident was not the fault of the airline but of the aircraft itself. Consequently. Lauda Air is expected to report a loss of between $US2. 5m and SUS3m for the year past, its first loss since it was listed five years ago. The general downturn in the airline business plus the effects of the Gulf War also added to the problem.

Jal and Garuda to Cairns:

Japan Air Lines and Garuda Indonesia are the latest airlines to tap into the tourist market of far north Queensland, JAL introducing five direct flights per week between Tokyo and Cairns and Garuda two flights per week between Cairns, Bali and Jakarta.

Caims is already attracting 14% of all Jap- anese visitors to Australia and that figure is expected to increase. The influx of tourists and the local growth which goes with it is expected to see Cairns’ population increase from 85,000 to 200,000 over the next 20 years.

As far as domestic aviation is concerned, Caims is already attracting the highest air- craft load factors in the country. Sydney! Caims recorded an average load factor of 95. 2% and Brisbane/Cairns 89. 2% in the month of September.

But the recent Tourist Industry Association conference warned that all was not rosey and that the expected tourism growth (five million by the year 2000) could be inhibited by ever increasing taxes and charges.

Caims Airport (which is administered by the Cairns Port Authority, not the FAC) was singled out, with charges there having risen by 33% per passenger for international arrivals and 70% for domestic arrivals over recent years. Landing fees have also increased markedly, Cairns now charging. $4,162 for a Boeing 767 compared with $1,690 at facilities run by the FAC.

Ansett Tipped to Make Loss This Year:

Despite load factors regularly in the 80% range, Ansett Australia’s general manager, Mr Graeme McMahon, speaking at the 18th Ansett Transport and Travel Writers Seminar, has reiterated his chairman’s recent comments that it was most likely that ATI would this year record a small loss.

The comments come as a surprise considering Ansett Australia’s average 80. 1% load factor during the September quarter (refer Stop Press last issue for full tables) and the need to ‘talk up’ both the TNT stock price and ATI employee morale. Industry observers noted that the airline is still heavily debt burdened and that comments relating to a possible loss could only make it harder in the short term for the plethora of new entrants to gain support from the now very wary finance community, something that is obviously not against the interests of either ATI, Australian or Compass.

In the meantime, to cope with the surge of traffic (refer major deregulation feature this issue) ATI has added 11 additional jets to its overall fleet since last year and including Ansett New Zealand now flies a total of 64 aircraft.

Sita to Improve Airline Baggage Tracing:

SITA will launch a new tracing system for lost airline baggage from December, simplifying procedures and continuously matching descriptions of lost and found baggage for up to 100 days.

Known as World Tracer, the system represents a major advance in baggage tracing and eliminates the need for airline staff to manually key baggage data into multiple tracing systems.

SITA, the global airline telecommunications network, developed World Tracer in close co-operation with the airline industry to provide significant benefits. These include improved productivity, reduction in data. entry errors, better baggage matches and passenger services, reduced claims and lower costs. World Tracer data is stored in a relational database which provides the greatest flexibility in matching. Baggage files are created, displayed and updated through simple keyboard entries. Airlines will be able to adapt World Tracer to their own needs by use of a number of system parameters.

UTA Logo Disappears:

UTA, a long time French international operator and with domestic airline Air Inter now part of the Air France group, will soon have its livery disappearing from airport ramps.

The airline’s fleet of Boeing 747s and DC-10s will be progressively painted in Air France colours with the job due for completion by the end of next year. The repaint is part of an overall Air France objective to reinforce its position in the marketplace with the coming of European deregulation in 1993. Combined, the three airlines in the Air France group operate to 238 cities in 107 countries.

Norfolk Crash Leaves Bad Taste:

The collapse of the Norfolk Airlines Group of companies last March has left unsecured creditors with the prospect of recovering only between nil and 12 cents in the dollar.

In addition, employees of three of the companies are unlikely to receive their holiday and long service leave entitlements. Norfolk Airlines liquidator has discovered “a complex web of inter company loan accounts” along with a deficiency in consolidated working capital of $5. 4m. The group’s last annual report published just four months prior to the collapse-had declared an oper ating profit of $1. 29m for the previous year. In addition, a dispute between the liquida- tor and the receiver-manager has developed over $2m worth of spare parts. The parts were transferred by book entry from Norfolk Island Airlines Pty Ltd to Norfolk Holdings Ltd in June last year and the liquidator says he is entitled to take possession of them. A letter of demand has been sent to the receiver-manager, who was appointed by the National Australia Bank.

Casino Gets Deregulated:

THE New South Wales Air Transport Council has deregulated the port of Casino following decision by Ansett Express to move all it morning and evening direct Sydney jet ser vices across to Ballina.

Ansett has replaced Casino’s jet service with a daily afternoon Fokker 50 triangulated with Lismore which is a mere 30km away. The move reinforces Ansett’s posturing for NSW intrastate deregulation and the Air Transport Council has consequently called for expressions of interest from other operators for the Casino route.

The Ansett decision somewhat pre-empted the outcome of a meeting arranged by the ATC on the north coast. The ATC had arranged the meeting to put out feelers to try and fathom whether or not to allow deregulation to the region at such an early stage. The ATC decided the loss of jets to Casino was a significant enough loss to warrant deregulation, and now the pressure’s on from nearby Lismore to also be deregulated. (Haldon Boyd)

New Engineering Consultants:

A new company comprised of retired Qantas LAME’s has commenced operation, offering expert training in modern passenger jet aircraft and their engines.

The Company called JTP Aircraft Training Services has already secured offshore interest from a number of airlines, offering training for 767-300, 747-200, and RB211-524G engines. Mr John Lillis, the director of the new company states that JPT is already very busy, and set to expand. Interested parties can contact Sydney (02) 520 7158. (Peter Gamble)

Red Faces!:

We still have a lot to learn about the effects of all those wizz-bang electronics, as a Sydney Couple recently discovered.

Basking nude in the high fenced privacy of their own backyard they were dismayed to discover they were the centre of attention from an apparently appreciative audience which had gathered. It seems radar signals from an Over flying aircraft had triggered the infrared device which opens their gate! Electronic interference also caused prob- lems for Dick Johnson’s Shell Sierra racing team at the Bathurst 1000 motor race in October. The team had several very expensive Cosworth turbo engines detonate during qualifying. for no apparent reason. The problem was traced to signals from one of Channel 7’s satellite dishes on Conrad Straight playing havoc with the engine management computer on the cars. After fitting compensators to the computers, all was well This also reminds us of the time a few years back when the US Navy had to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars compensation to residents near one of its US east coast air fields. It seems that full blown electronic jamming from EA-6B Prowler aircraft participating in nearby wargames were activating hundreds of electronically controlled garage doors within neighbouring communities. In most cases the electronic brain of each door had been suitably scrambled due to the sheer power of the ECM equipment aboard the Prowler. Revised operational procedures have now overcome the embarrassing problem.

Qantas Maintenance Contract:

Qantas has won a $10m contract to carry out major maintenance checks on two Boeing 747-200s owned by the Potomac Capital Investment Corp, a US leasing company.

The aircraft will undergo D checks, major servicing which requires a complete strip-down of the aircraft and the inspection and repair or replacement of just about every component. The jobs provide Qantas’ engineering section with 140,000 manhours of work. Still on Qantas’ engineering activities, the airline is offering 200 apprenticeships for 1992, which will bring its total apprentice strength to 1,000

Thai Attacks Europe:

Thai Airlines has aggressively attacked the European market by introducing a number of new services as well as increasing the available seat capacity by putting larger aircraft on these and other routes.

The airline’s seat capacity to Europe has risen by 11. 5% and the number of flights has increased from 26 to 30 per week. In addition, Brussels has become the 13th European destination served by Thai, which is using MD-11s on the route. London and Paris continue to receive a daily service, Scandanavia gets an additional flight per week, as does Madrid (now three) while Zurich (three per week), Frankfurt (five), Amsterdam. (three), Athens (two) and Vienna (two) remain unchanged. The airline now offers 11,000 seats per week between Europe and Thailand.

Ansett Feeds Air Mauritius:

Ansett International Air freight has been appointed general cargo and mail sales. agent in Australia for Air Mauritius, which launches a weekly service between the Indian Ocean island and Perth this month (refer p. 6 Nov 91 AA).

Some 10 tonnes freight capacity will be available per flight, and according to Ansett, it will be mainly used by Australian companies seeking a market for meat and produce on Mauritius, which has a population of just under one million. Previously, airfreight had to travel to Mauritius from Australia via Singapore, a time consuming and costly process. The direct flight will take seven hours. with obvious advantages for exporters of fresh produce.

Ansett will also feed pax traffic from around Australia into Perth for the Air Mauritius services.

JAILBIRDS: Is this the ultimate expression of a deregulated airline industry? Could this be the last word in no frills operations? Imagine an airline whose aircraft have no drinks, no movies, metal plates welded over the ashtrays, no magazines, no blankets, no movies, no seat recline, no baggage allow- ance, the seat belt light is never turned off, armrests are always upright, going to the toilet requires permission, emergency brief- ings are not given (especially the bit about the location of emergency exits) and in order to ensure the passengers are well behaved they are handcuffed and placed in leg irons. And if they do misbehave, the handcuffed hands are taped around two tennis balls.

On the positive side, the passengers are given a basic meal of sandwiches and a drink (no trays or utensils are provided) and the ratio of flight attendants to passengers is very high-14 of them on board one of the airline’s two Boeing 727s. One of the attendants is a nurse, two are legal eagles and the remaining 11 are armed to the teeth-they are US Marshals.

Important Notice

Readers are reminded that as Australian Aviation is produced 10 times a year there will be no January or February issues.

The next edition of AA will be the March issue, which will go on sale nationally on the 20 February. There-after will follow monthly editions in the normal manner. The reason the December issue is brought out later than normal and the March edition early (20 Feb) is to reduce to a minimum the time period when no new editions are available.

In these tight economic times readers are again reminded that they save substantially and usually receive their magazines earlier than they are available on the newsstand by subscribing direct. Two year subscribers save up to $39 and one year subscribers save a handy $10. Like we have always said- why pay $4. 90 for this magazine when you can get it for only $3. 45? Refer p. 19 for full details.

If you haven’t guessed already, this airline is the Air Operations Division of the US Marshal Service, and its job is to transport prisoners around the USA for prison transfers, court appearances and so on. Naturally, the operation has been nicknamed “Con Air’ and its fleet of two 727s, seven small jets and various propeller aircraft will carry 48,000 passengers in 1991 at a load factor which would be the envy of most commercial air- lines- 80%.

Con Air began operations in 1984. Before that prisoners were carried on commercial flights, something which tended to upset paying passengers who objected to being seated near a handcuffed and manacled ruffian surrounded by heavily armed US Marshals. One positive fact has emerged from this, at least for those of us who fly with more conventional operations Con Air’s passengers say that those who complain that regular airline food is worse than jail food don’t know what they’re talking about!

Major Aviation Conference for Sydney:

One of the more interesting industry conferences due for the first quarter of ’92 is that to be held by IBC on 3 and 4 March at Sydney’s Regent hotel.

Focus of the conference will be on all aspects of airline operation with special emphasis on deregulation and privatisation with much discussion on the pitfalls and opportunities created by both. Speakers include senior executives of Qantas, Ansett, Australian, Compass, FedEx, Canadian Air- lines, United, BA, Hazelton, the FAC, CAA, DoTC and a number of specialist legal firms and consultants including Blake Dawson Waldron.

Should be a ‘must attend conference. For further details contact (02) 319 3755.

 Qantas Gets More of Anz:

Qantas has increased the number of shares it holds in Air New Zealand following the latter’s $A100m 1 for 2 rights issue last July. Qantas now holds just under 84 million of ANZ’s 420 million shares, but the proportion remains unchanged at 19. 99%.

 Supersonic Jet Transport:

A new generation SST is still a fair way into the future according to Mr Dudley Collard of Aerospatiale, who delivered a presentation at a seminar on the subject at a recent French Aerospace convention in Australia.

The reason for this is the enormous outlay that would involve multiple nation participation. The new aircraft would still have something of the appearance of Concorde – a delta wing but with canard features; it would be larger, however, a 250 seater capable of 6,000nm sectors. It would still cruise at Mach 2. 0-this is considered fast enough to satisfy 21st Century requirements as anything faster would require an inestimable outlay.

Mr Collard was adamant that this time the consortium would consult interested nations regarding the SST’s environmental impact before proceeding with full scale development. New environmentally friendly engines capable of efficient operation in both sub and supersonic realms would also be essential. The seminar concluded with Mr Collard expressing doubt that such a development would occur prior to the turn of the century. (Peter Gamble)

Happy Customers:

Soviet airline passengers have recently been showing their disapproval of extensive flight delays in practical ways.

There has been several instances of passenger revolts of late including the breaking of fences and invasion of operational areas at Ust-Kamenogorsk airport in the Urals. after delays of more than 24 hours; in Moscow some 6,000 passengers seized aircraft and demanded the departure of numerous flights delayed by fog; and in another recent incident passengers of a delayed 1-86 bound for Moscow from the Black Sea occupied the aircraft after having been told to disembark after just getting on board! Perhaps these “frequent flyers’ should be given a toaster by way of compensation! China Southern Airlines, one of the PRC’S regional operators, has ordered four Saab 340Bs with deliveries beginning in March 1992. Saab 340 firm orders now total 338 with some 260 in service with 32 operators. The aircraft recently recorded its two milionth light.

Meanwhile, Australia’s own Eastwest Airlines has had its own problems with unruly passengers. In its case, five youths described as “feral children” were removed from a BAe 146 in Cairns because their dress was considered offensive. The two girls and three boys were dressed in ragged clothes and sported dreadlocks and rings in their noses. Their luggage was searched by Queensland police who found bird skulls, bandicoot feet, feathers and bits of small animals.

 Military Interest in A340 Grows:

Both the French and German Governments have expressed interest in acquiring military variants of the Airbus A340-300 four engined airliner. The military interest comes in the wake of the Gulf War, which highlighted the French armed forces’ lack of a long range military

transport for the transportation of troops and equipment. The French were instead forced to charter commercial widebodies for ferry flights to and from the Gulf, at a cost of FF400,000 ($A92,000) per aircraft. In, the flights had to be stopped once hostilities commenced because they were placing the civil aircraft in danger.

Besides the Gulf, France also has an urgent requirement for a long range, high capacity transport to meet requirements for its overseas commitments in the Pacific and Caribbean. The A340 is considered ideal for operations to these distant French territories.

Airbus partner Aerospatiale is already planning troop transport and tanker versions of the A340 for sale to military customers. The military versions would be capable of carrying 15 tonnes of equipment, including light tanks and spare engines, with a large rear door to facilitate loading. Range would vary between 3,200nm and 5,400nm depending on payload. With the French and German governments having already expressed interest in obtaining up to ten military A340s, and Airbus Industrie reportedly keen to break into the military market, it would seem a sure bet that development of the aircraft will proceed. Airbus claim that reduced operating costs help make the A340 a more attractive option than converted, older generation widebody airliners.

For Your Information:

Just thought you might be interested in some statistics concerning the number of civil aerodromes in various countries throughout the world as at the end of last year.

Not surprisingly, the USA tops the list with 17,167 civil aerodromes (including privately owned ones), well ahead of second placed Brazil, which has 2,269. Central and South America do well, in fact, with Mexico third (2,042), Bolivia fifth (1,146) and Paraquay sixth (1,001). Canada takes fourth place with 1,175 aerodromes.

Australia ranks 11th with 436, just ahead of 12th placed Papua New Guinea which has 435. There are some surprises. Civil aerodromes in the United Kingdom are becoming an endangered species with just 142. Their numbers have declined steadily over the years, ever since local councils discovered that the acreage aerodromes sit on can be much more profitable if turned into housing or industrial estates.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the Soviet Union has only 38 civil aerodromes (a number which is bound to increase) while nations with a single aerodrome to their name include Gambia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malta, Mongolia, Nicaragua and Bahrain. And Djibouti has three!