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CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO 161843Z MAY 79 ·
TO PRIORITY SINGAPORE
TELEGRAM NUMBER 99 OF 16 MAY
ther 1841
RECEIVED IN REG.MY
17 MAY 1979
DECK OFFRD.
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INFO ROUTINE PEKING (FOR ROGERS), KUALA LUMPUR, CANBERRA, MIPT. UK/SINGAPORE AIR SERVICES
FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF ROGERS' LETTER OF 11 MAY
~IR
TO LIAN NYUK HOI (REGIONAL DIRECTOR-EUROPE, SIA):
QUOTE
IN RESPONSE TO YOUR LETTER OF 3 MAY, I AM AFRAID I CANNOT
ACCEPT YOUR CRITICISM OF THE INNOVATIVE FARES THAT WE AND
AUSTRALIA HAVE INTRODUCED IN ORDER TO CUT THE COST OF TRAVEL BETWEEN OUR TWO COUNTRIES. I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT SIA HAVE
HELD UP THE NEGOTIATION OF LOWER FARES FOR THE ROUTES BETWEEN
THE UNITED KINGDOM AND SOUTH EAST ASIA, AND I HOPE YOU WILL NOW JOIN WITH BRITISH AIRWAYS, MAS AND THAI INTERNATIONAL
IN MEETING THE CONSUMER INTEREST.
AS REGARDS THE CAPACITY TO BE MOUNTED BETWEEN LONDON AND SINGAPORE, I UNDERSTAND THAT FOLLOWING THE DEPARTURE OF MR PILLAY AND
MYSELF ON OTHER BUSINESS LAST DECEMBER YOUR REPRESENTATIVES
PUT FORWARD SOME FIGURES AT THEIR MEETING WITH BRITISH AIRWAYS- WHICH THEY CLAIMED INDICATED A NEED FOR AS MANY AS EIGHT 8747
SERVICES A WEEK BY EACH AIRLINE. HOWEVER, THESE FORECASTS WERE
CONTESTED BY BRITISH AIRWAYS AND THEY WERE NOT EVEN DISCUSSED WITH, STILL LESS ACCEPTED BY, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT. THIS MATTER HAS
THEREFORE STILL TO BE RESOLVED.
J
•
I AM AWARE THAT SIA ARE CURRENTLY OPERATING WITH HIGH SEAT
FACTORS ON THEIR SERVICES INTO AND OUT OF LONDON. HOWEVER I AM
GIVEN TO UNDERSTAND THAT MUCH OF THIS IS TRAFFIC THE CARRIAGE
OF WHICH IS NOT COVERED BY THE UK/SINGAPORE AIR SERVICES
AGREEMENT. I SHALL BE GLAD IF YOU WILL PROVIDE THE RELEVANT UPLIFT/DISCHARGE AND ORIGIN/DESTINATION DATA URGENTLY,
SO THAT WE CAN EXAMINE THIS MORE CLOSELY.
CONFIDENTIAL
11 EXPLAINED