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Hongkong Standard
Member Audit Bureau of Circulations.
635, King's Road, North Point, Hongkong
Tel. 616222-8
'GRAMS: HIKSTANDARD
All communications, including press releases and invita- tions to functions, meriting press coverage should be addressed to The Editor and NOT to any member of the staff by name.
Page 8 Tuesday, June 17, 1969
No airport aid, no monopoly
LANDING rights at Kaitak airport are granted
by Britain. But Britain is turning a deaf ear to Hongkong's plea for $90 million aid to make the airport capable of accommodating the jumbos and the supersonic jets of the near future.
This is an incongruous situation, and calls for some re-thinking on the part of the Hongkong Government so that some decisions necessary for the good of the Colony, can be made independent of London.
Much of the re-thinking should be on landing rights to airlines at Kaitak airport in a way that no airline would enjoy any kind of a monopoly. A fair deal for all airlines would ensure stronger boosts to our carnings from tourism.
Lord Shepherd and others in Whitehall appear convinced that Hongkong, a British Colony, can, and should, stand on its own two feet. financially at least. We should be convinced that the BOAC, a British airline, should be able to stand on its own without having to depend on Hongkong privileges.
Just as Britain has the right to a "thumbs down" to Hongkong's application for the loan for the airport runway extension, so should Hongkong be able to exercise a freedom to reject preferential treatment for the British air- line.
It has been suggested that the reason why Britain is not giving Hongkong the loan is because she is financially embarrassed. It seems odd, however, that Britain is not suffering at all from embarrassment in giving financial aid to some African countries, which are not even within the Commonwealth.
One could almost suspect more than merely financial difficulties behind the rejection. It is natural to assume that Britain cannot be too keen on the Jumbos from America operating in this area. By the same token, there must be opposition in America to the British supersonic Concordes operating in their arca.
It would take at least eight years for the British Concordes to operate in the Far East, according to some observers. The Jumbos may take about eight months to fly here. A hold-up of the runway extension would hamper these flights.
But it is not for Hongkong to become involved in any great rivalry between the major airlines of the two big countries. We should be able to act on our own, especially when we have to foot our own bill, and decide what is necessary for Hongkong.
མ་
RECEIVED IN
REGISTRY No.51
20 JUN 1969
HKK 21/11
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