TNAG-0782-FCO40-986-Involvement-of-Hong-Kong-in-air-services-agreements-1978 — Page 34

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''THE FINAL FARES PACKAGE AGREED BETWEEN GOVERNMENTS INCLUDE

ARRANGEMENTS TO ALLOW STOP-OVERS EN ROUTE TO THE UK AT FARES LES

THAN THOSE PRESENTLY APPLICABLE FOR THIS TRAFFIC, THE MINISTER

EMPHASISED.

MR NIXON EXPLAINED THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD LOOKED IN GREAT DETAIL AND WITH CONSIDERABLE CARE AT THE ALTERNATIVE WAYS IN WHICH LOWER FARES COULD BE ACHIEVED. IN THIS EXAMINATION THE INTERESTS OF OTHER COUNTRIES CONCERNED HAD BEEN VERY MUCH IN THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT'S. MIND. "' THE ARRANGEMENTS THAT WERE DECIDED AND WERE ANNOUNCED IN MY POLICY STATEMENT TO PARLIAMENT ARE AS EVEN-HANDED AND FAIR TO ALL COUNTRIES CONCERNED AS CAN BE ACHIEVED'', THE MINISTER EXPLAINED,

R NIXON SAID,'' A MAJOR PART OF THE AUSTRALIAN STRATEGY HAS BEEN TO PROVIDE FOR POINT-TO-POINT FARES BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND OTHER COUNTRIES WITH THE SERVICES BEING PROVIDED ONLY BY THE ALSIGNATED CARRIER OF THE TWO COUNTRIES INVOLVED. IN THE CASE OF THE AUSTRALIA- UK ROUTE THE NEW POINT-TO-POINT FARES WILL BE AVAILABLE ONLY FROM QANTAS AND BRITISH AIRWAYS''. HOWEVER, THE MINISTER EMPHASISED THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS CONCERNED TO INTRODUCE LOW FARES TO ALL OVERSEAS DESTINATIONS AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE AND BY 1 FEBRUARY 1979 WITH THOSE COUNTRIES WHOSE GOVERNMENTS ARE AGREEABLE.

THE MINISTER EXPLAINED THAT AUSTRALIAN NEGOTIATING TEAMS HAS 'NOW DISCUSSED THE NEW FARES POLICY WITH MOST EUROPEAN AND ASIAN COUNTRIES WHO HAVE AIR SERVICE CONNECTIONS TO AUSTRALIA. IN GENERAL THE POLICY HAD BEEN WELL RECEIVED BY THESE COUNTRIES AND THE MINISTER SAID HE

WAS HOPEFUL THAT AGREEMENT WOULD SOON BE FINALISED THAT WOULD

ALLOW TRAVEL AT LOW FARES TO THESE OTHER DESTINATIONS,

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'' I AM SURE THE NEW LOW FARE REGIME THAT WILL NOW BE

PROGRESSIVELY INTRODUCED BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND OTHER COUNTRIES

WILL PROVIDE A BADLY NEEDED SHOT IN THE ARM FOR AUSTRALIA'S TRAVEL

AND TOURISM INDUSTRIES AS WELL AS FULFILLING THE EXPECTATIONS OF: AUSTRALIANS FOR A LOW COST HOLIDAY ABROAD'', THE MINISTER SAID.

NEW TARIFF STRUCTURE BETWEEN THE UK AND AUSTRALIA

1. FIRST CLASS NORMAL FARE RULES AS FOR CURRENT IATA FIRST CLASS FARE, FARE LEVELS: SYD/MEL/BNE -POUNDS UK2,000 A 3,50 PER/DRW UK POUNDS 1,860 OA 3,250.

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