131
CONFIDENTIAL
no 090
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 290900Z FCO
DESKBY 2908307 HONG KONG
FM PEKING 290635Z MAY 79
TO IMMEDIATE FCQ
A
TELNO 494′ OF 29 MAY
AND TO HONG KONG
Hkk 184/2
RECEIVED XSY NO. 51
3 0 MAY 1979
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
PA
по
N1.6
REGISTRY
135
Action Taken
FOLLOWING FROM DELEGATION
OUR TELNO 492: UK/PRC AIR SERVICES NEGOTIATIONS.
1. ROGERS MET LU FOR A FURTHER TETE A TETE ON 28 MAY.
2. LU SAID THAT THE TRUNK ROUTE AND REGIONAL ROUTE WERE INEX- TRICABLY WOVEN TOGETHER IN THE SHORT TERM AND THAT IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO FIND A SOLUTION WHICH EMBRACED THEM BOTH. IN RES-
PONSE TO HIS INVITATION ROGERS EXPLAINED THE CONCEPT THAT THE
TEAM HAD WORKED OUT OVER THE WEEKEND TO DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM. THIS ENTAILED REGARDING PART OF THE SEATING CAPACITY OF BA'S
D747'S AS AVAILABLE ON THE TRUNK ROUTE AND THE REMAINDER ON THE
ROUTE BETWEEN HONG KONG AND PEKING. THE EFFECT WAS THAT WHILE
BA WERE OPERATING 2 X B747'S A WEEK ON THE THROUGH ROUTE VIA HONG KONG, CAAC WOULD BE ENTITLED TO OPERATE 2 X B707 (OR THE
EQUIVALENT CAPACITY ON THEIR B747'S AS AND WHEN THE LATTER WERE INTRODUCED INTO SERVICE) ON THE TRUNK ROUTE AND 4 X B707'S PER WEEK ON THE ROUTE BETWEEN PEKING AND HONG KONG.
3. LU APPRECIATED THAT WE WERE TRYING TO BE FAIR IN PUTTING
FORWARD THIS IDEA ALTHOUGH HE THOUGHT IT WAS LIKELY TO WORK OUT
IN BA'S FAVOUR IN PRACTICE, IN PARTICULAR, WHEREAS BA WOULD BE
ABLE TO OPERATE THROUGH A NUMBER OF INTERMEDIATE POINTS THE
CHINESE HAD NOT YET NEGOTIATED RIGHTS FROM THE INTERMEDIATE
COUNTRIES WHICH WOULD EN ABLE THEM TO CARRY TRAFFIC ON TO LONDON.
ON THE OTHER HAND ROGERS POINTED OUT THAT ALTHOUGH OUR PROPOSALS
WOULD LEAD TO A TOTAL OF SIX SERVICES PER WEEK BETWEEN HONG KONG
AND PEKING (IE ALMOST A DAILY SERVICE) THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG
WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO TRAVEL ON THE BA FLIGHTS AND ONLY FOUR
SERVICES A WEEK WOULD THUS BE AVAILABLE TO THEM. THE LOGICAL ARRANGEMENT WOULD THEREFORE BE TO GIVE BA FULL RIGHTS ON THESE
SERVICES RATHER THAN TO LIMIT THEM TO THE CARRIAGE OF STOPOVER
TRAFFIC ON THE HONG KONG-PEKING SECTOR.
CONFIDENTIAL
14.