360
GPS 325
CYPHER/CAT A
FM HONG KONG 210047Z
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
HKK 184/1.
have in hand
1 768
UK/SOUTH AFRICA AIR SERVICES.
TO ROUTINE F C O TELNO 760 OF JUNE.1978
INFO JOHANNESBURG, HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON.
No
Sme (336
?
JUN 178
ACCORDING TO THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST OF 12 JUNE, SOUTH
AFRICAN AIRWAYS IS ENJOYING BRISK BUSINESS ON ITS ONCE-WEEKLY B747SP SERVICES BETWEEN HONG KONG AND JOHANNESBURG, VIA THE SEYCHELLES. THE LOCAL SAA MANAGER HAD REPORTED A LOAD FACTOR OF
80-85 PER CENT IN BOTH DIRECTIONS SINCE THE B747SP WAS INTRODUCED ALMOST A YEAR AGO. WHILST ADMITTING THAT THIS PERFORMANCE WOULD. HAVE A BOOKINGS OVERSPILL AND IN NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES WOULD TRIGGER OFF ADDITIONAL CAPACITY, HE SAID THAT SAA HAD NO PLANS
TO INCREASE FREQUENCY OR CAPACITY BUT DID NOT SAY WHY. THE ARTICLE WENT ON TO SAY QUOTE BUT APPARENTLY THE BALL IS IN THE COURT OF BRITISH AIRWAYS, THE POOL PARTNER ON THE ROUTE UNQUOTE.
2. THE ONLY OTHER SERVICES ARE PROVIDED BY BA'S TWICE-WEEKLY VC-10 S
TO THE SEYCHELLES, ONE OF WHICH EXTENDS TO JOHANNESBURG.
IT WOULD APPEAR FROM THE FIGURES THAT SEATS ARE NOT ALWAYS AVAILABLE ON THESE CUT-DATED AIRCRAFT EITHER. HERE THEN IS A CASE
FOR ADDITIONAL CAPACITY TO MEET THE PUBLIC INTEREST.
3. IT SEEMS THAT SAA ARE FETTERRED BY BA (COULD WE PLEASE HAVE DETAILS) AND, AS FAR AS WE KNOW, BA HAVE NO PLANS TO REPLACE VC-10'S ON THE ROUTE OR TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SERVICES. WE DID PUT A MARKER DOWN WITH ROGERS (DOT) SOME TIME AGO THAT CPA WERE INTERESTED IN EXPANDING THEIR NETWORK IN THE DIRECTION OF COLOMBO, SEYCHELLES AND AFRICA BUT THE ANSWER GIVEN WAS THAT THIS WAS QUOTE PIE-IN-THE-SKY UNQUOTE.
4. IF SAA CANNOT AND BA WILL NOT MOUNT CAPACITY TO MEET THE
PUBLIC DEMAND FOR SEATS, THEN WE FEEL BOUND TO RETURN TO THE CHARGE FOR A ROUTE FRO CPA WHICH, AFTER ALL, IS A HONG KONG ORIGINATING ROUTE ON WHICH WE FEEL THEY HAVE A BETTER CLAIM TO
OPERATE THAN BA.
5. WE SHOULD BE GLAD OF YOUR COMMENTS.
MACLEHOSE
FILES
/COPIES SENT TO CAD/DOT/
MAED
HK & GD
CSAD
MISS BROWN
MR MURRAY
MR MANSFIELD
CONFIDENTIAL