TNAG-0778-FCO40-982-Involvement-of-Hong-Kong-in-air-services-agreements-1978 — Page 144

GR 275

IMMEDIATE

CYER/CAT A

FM HONG KONG 038349Z

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

ARK 184/1.

INDEX

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1 APR 1973

成

TO IMMEDIATE F.C.O TELNO.412 OF 3 APRIL 78,

Reply seit

INFO D.O.T, BANGKOK, HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON.

U.K/FRANCE AIR SERVICES..

See / 191

198

3h+

1. AIR FRANCE HAVE SUBMITTED APPLICATION LOCALLY FOR CARRIAGE OF SOME 8,000 INDO-CHINESE REFUGEES FROM BANGKOK TO HONG KONG ON THEIR BLINDED FLIGHT AF192 ON MONDAYS. THEY PLAN TO OPERATE ONCE A WEEK FROM 10TH APRIL TO 11TH SEPTEMBER 1978, IN ORDER TO UPLIFT 100 TO 120 REFUGEES PER FLIGHT WHO WILL CONTINUE THEIR JOURNEY TO U.S.A ON NORTH WEST ORIENT (NW) FLIGHT ON THE FOLLOWING DAY (TUESDAY).

2. THIS REQUEST ORIGINATED FROM INTER GOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE FOR EUROPEAN MIGRATION (ICEM) BANGKOK ON BEHALF OF THE U.S GOVERNMENT, WHO CLAIMED TO HAVE DIFFICULTIES IN OBTAINING ADVANCED BOOKINGS ON SCHEDULED SERVICES BETWEEN BKK/HKG, ESPECIALLY ON MONDAYS.

3. CPA HAVE ADVISED THAT DURING 1977, THEY HAD TRANSHIPPED 8,000 REFUGEES TO HKG TO TIE IN WITH THE NW FLIGHTS TO USA.

4. CPA ALSO ADVISE THAT ON 10TH APRIL THEY ALREADY HAVE 90 REFUGEES BOOKED ON THEIR BKK/HKG FLIGHT AND INDEED HAVE FURTHER BOOKINGS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR FOR SIMILAR CARRIAGE. FURTHER, WITH EFFECT FROM 3RD APRIL CPA WILL SWITCH EQUIPMENT FROM B707 TO L1011 ON THEIR DAILY HKG/BKK/SIN V.V. SERVICE AND THEY WILL VOLUNTARILY BLOCK OFF 120 MORE SEATS ON ALL MONDAY FLIGHTS ON THE BKK/HKG SECTION FROM 17TH APRIL TO 11TH SEPTEMBER.

5. WE SEE NO JUSTIFICATION FOR GRANTING A WAIVER TO A.F, BUT WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR URGENT COMMENTS.

MACLEHOSE

FILES:

MAED

HK & G D

MR BURROWS

SEAD

NAD

MR CORTAZZI MR STRATTON

[COPIES SENT TO CAD/DOT]

COPIES TO:

HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE, LONDON

UND

CONFIDENTIAL