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TUESDAY, AUGUST 8, 1989
ROLE OF ATLA EXPLAINED
CONCERNING A LICENCE APPLICATION MADE TO THE AIR TRANSPORT LICENSING AUTHORITY (ATLA) TO OPERATE SCHEDULED SERVICES TO VIETNAM, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN CLARIFIED TODAY (TUESDAY) THAT HONG KONG AIRLINES WISHING TO APPLY TO TIE ATLA FOR LICENCES TO OPERATE SCHEDULED SERVICES MAY DO SO AT THEIR OWN DISCRETION
NO PRIOR GOVERNMENT PERMISSION IS REQUIRED.
AND
DETERMINING
"THE ATLA IS AN INDEPENDENT STATUTORY BODY FOR APPLICATIONS FROM HONG KONG AIRLINES FOR LICENCES ΤΟ OPERATE SCHEDULED SERVICES FROM HONG KONG.
"THE TERMS OF REFERENCE OF THE ATLA FOR DETERMINING A LICENCE APPLICATION ARE LAID DOWN IN THE AIR TRANSPORT (LICENSING OF AIR SERVICES REGULATIONS," HE SAID.
IN BROAD TERMS, THE AUTHORITY MUST HAVE REGARD TO THE CO-ORDINATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF AIR SERVICES CONSISTENT WITH THE OBJECT OF ENSURING THE MOST EFFECTIVE SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC WHILE AVOIDING UNECONOMICAL OVERLAPPING OF SERVICES, HE ADDED.
—— J
"THE INDEPENDENT NATURE OF THE AUTHORITY IS MADE CLEAR IN IT'S WRITTEN DECISION OF JANUARY 23, 1986
IF THE AUTHORITY CONSIDERS THAT A CASE HAS BEEN MADE OUT FOR A LICENCE FOR A PARTICULAR ROUTE, IT WILL GRANT THE LICENCE IRRESPECTIVE OF WHETHER THE NECESSARY TRAFFIC RIGHTS TO EXERCISE IT ARE AVAILABLE AND IRRESPECTIVE OF THE VIEW WHICH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT MAY TAKE WITH REGARD ΤΟ DESIGNATING HONG KONG AIRLINES FOR THE ROUTE IN QUESTION, THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT.
"APART FROM OBTAINING A LICENCE FROM THE COULD NOT COMMENCE SCHEDULED SERVICES ON THE ROUTE THE NECESSARY TRAFFIC RIGHTS HAD BEEN NEGOTIATED AT AND IT HAD BEEN DESIGNATED TO OPERATE THE SERVICE.
"AT PRESENT, NO AIR SERVICES ARRANGEMENTS SERVICES BETWEEN HONG KONG AND VIETNAM EXIST.
ATLA, AN AIRLINE CONCERNED BEFORE
GOVERNMENT LEVEL
COVERING SCHEDULED
"THUS, EVEN IF THE ATLA APPROVED A LICENCE APPLICATION BY A HONG KONG AIRLINE TO SERVE VIETNAM, THE LAUNCHING OF SCHEDULED SERVICES WOULD STILL BE SUBJECT ΤΟ INTER-GOVERNMENTAL NEGOTIATIONS AND THE GRANTING OF THE NECESSARY TRAFFIC RIGHTS," HE SAID.
FOR
THE FACT THAT HONG KONG AIRLINES ARE MAKING APPLICATIONS LICENCES FROM THE ATLA FOR SCHEDULED SERVICES TO VIETNAM IN NO WAY INDICATES THAT THERE IS ANY COMMITMENT ON THE PART OF THE HONG GOVERNMENT TO DESIGNATE AND TO SEEK THE NECESSARY RIGHTS FOR SERVICES, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
KONG SUCH
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