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KONG/LONDON THEY WOULD WANT TO OPERATE TO POINTS EN ROUTE, PRESUMABLY IN PARTICULAR THE GULF. (WHETHER THIS WOULD BE
TECHNICALLY FIFTH FREEDOM IS A NICE POINT). THIS WOULD HAVE
ADVANTAGES IN PROVIDING A MIDDLE EAST LINK TO GATWICK AND THUS FOR
B.C.A.L.'S TEXAN SERVICES BUT WOULD DISADVANTAGE B.A. HENCE THE
REFERENCE IN MY PREVIOUS TELEGRAM FOR THE NEED FOR C.P.A. TO COMPEN-
SATE P.A. ELSEWHERE ALONG THE POUTE. BUT I WOULD NOT REGARD THIS
ASPECT AS NECESSARILY DECISIVE.
4. THERE IS NO DANGER THAT THE C.A.A. WILL BE COMING TO ANY HASTY
DECISIONS ABOUT THE SUBSTITUTION OF A.B.C.'S FOR AFFINITY CHARTERS
ON THE HONG KONG ROUTE. IF THEY DO DECIDE TO GO THIS WAY, AND THEY
ARE STILL SOME WAY FROM PEACHING A DECISION, A.B.C.'S WILL BE
AVAILABLE AS PART CHARTERS ON SCHEDULED SERVICES AS WELL AS ON WHOLE
PLANE CHARTERS (IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED) IN JUST THE SAME WAY AS THE
PRESENT AFFINITY CHARTERS ARE. THERE HAVE ALSO, AS YOU KNOW, BEEN
WHOLE PLANE CHARTERS UNDER THE AFFINITY CHARTERS REGIME.
5.
CATHAY PACIFIC HAS NOW WRITTEN TO THE C.A.A. EXPRESSING A
DEFINITE INTEREST IN A.B.C.'S AND HAVE CLEARLY INDICATED THAT THEY
WILL WISH TO PUT IN A FORMAL APPLICATION ONCE THE RULES HAVE BEEN
ESTABLISHED. C.A.A. WILL BE SENDING A HOLDING REPLY. BRYANT
ESTABLISHED IN HONG KONG, HOWEVER, THAT IT WAS THE D.C.A. AND NOT
C.P.A. WHO PUT A POSSIBLE C.P.A. SERVICE TO LONDON ON THE AGENDA FOR
YOUR TALKS.
6. SO BY ALL MEANS HAVE QUITE DISCUSSIONS BUT IN THEM NEITHER
ENCOURAGE NOR DISCOURAGE: AND IN PARTICULAR MAKE CLEAR THE ROLE OF
THE C.A.A.
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