JR Steele Esq
Department of Trade
1 Victoria Street SW1
DSR 11
Type 1 +
From
MR CORTAZZI
Telephone No. Ext.
Department
1. Thank you for your letter of 8 June about air
services to Hong Kong and for letting me know your
Minister's reaction to your submission.
2. So far as the substance of the question is concerned
our view is that CPA should be given the chance to compete
on the London route. The continuation of the BA monopoly
seems to me unjustifiable. The Hong Kong travelling
public are entitled to an effecient and punctual service.
This they have not been getting. BA have been given every
opportunity to improve their service and have repeatedly
promised to do so. Yet it continues to be inadequate.
or compchlers A competitor would be likely to provide a better service
and at the same time spur BA into making improvements.
CPA
is not of course the only possible competitor and I under-
stand BCAL have now formally applied for the route. If
we take our responsibilities towards Hong Kong seriously
we must however recognise that CPA has a natural right
to the route and I believe it would be unnecessarily
damaging to our relations with Hong Kong for us to continue
L. ☀.
CONFIDENTIAL
/to
De
12000 800M 5/78 HMSO Bracknell