Mr Lewis Manager
Travel Centre
3M B16
Kaver
Budget
Hair 354/1
15
FROM: A R Paul
Hong Kong Department
F1
DATE: 5 June 1991
48
PREFERRED CARRIER ON LONG HAUL DESTINATIONS
1.
I have seen a copy of your newsflash of April. The annex to that newsflash states that British Airways is the preferred carrier in all classes between the UK and all long haul destinations.
2. Experience shows, however, that Cathay Pacific are much better than British Airways on the London-Hong Kong route. This is not just my view - it is a view strongly held by our Under-Secretary, Andrew Burns.
3.
As you know, Cathay Pacific is a British-owned airline. Ministers frequently use it for their journeys to Hong Kong. I should therefore like formally to contest the ruling in your annex and to seek further explanation, which I can then pass to my Under-Secretary and to Ministers if necessary.
ARR
BUGAFA
A R Paul
cc. Ms. Johnson 24/6