2
Advance Booking Charter (ABC) Flights
5.
Chang said that CAAC had given some considerable thought to what category of charter flight would best fit the needs of CAAC on the Hong Kong Canton route. Although no rules were published in the Hong Kong Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP) on ABC flights, nevertheless a number of authorities (European countries were mentioned in particular) had adopted such a category and he asked if DCA Hong Kong could consider this. I replied that I was prepared to listen to any proposals but my understanding of the ABC concept was that were three essential ingredients:-
6.
(i) an advance booking requirement of at least 30 days;
(ii) a minimum group size;
(iii) a minimum length of stay (and therefore one-way tickets
not being available).
Chang said that something could perhaps be worked out within such a framework but asked that the rules be liberal because of the quote special characteristics of the route unquote. By this he meant the short distance involved and the affinity of the people at both ends of the route. I replied that it was for the CAAC side to suggest what rules would best fit the particular nature of the traffic between Hong Kong and Canton but cautioned that it would not do to blur the distinction between scheduled and non-scheduled services. Any suggestions made should therefore not be too radical a departure from the rules generally accepted by other authorities. I went on to say that we would wish to make a cautious approach and any approval given would very likely be on a trial basis for say three months. The CAAC side seemed well content with this and indicated that they wished to operate on a twice daily basis.
7.
The ABC proposals were not handed over until I boarded the aircraft for departure from Canton. A copy (in translation) is at the Attachment hereto.
Special Events Flights
8.
Li explained that a number of participants at the Trade Fair had a need to go to Shanghai, Peking and other cities to visit factories in connexion with their contracts. They would be very disappointed to find on return to Canton that the CAAC flights were no longer available. He therefore asked for an extension to the Special Events permit. I asked how long an extension was required and Chang replied about two weeks. I therefore agreed to an extension of the current permit until the end of November for which they were grateful.
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