TNAG-0964-FCO40-1183-Air-services-between-the-UK-and-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 210

JOHN SWIRE & SONS LTD

Regis House

43-46 King William Street

London EC4R 9BE

Registered Office

Registered Number 133143 ENGLAND

Sir Paul Bryan, D.S.O., M.C., M.P.,

House of Commons,

LONDON, S.W.1.

Telegrams:

TEMSELOAP LONDON EC4

Telephone:

01-623 3030

Telex: 888800

Answer back: SWIRE G

26th March, 1980.

Dear

Paul,

I thought that I should let you know formally in your capacity as Chairman of the Hong Kong Parliamentary Group, that C.P.A. will be appealing against the recent decision of the C.A.A. that BCAL should be licensed to provide services between London and Hong Kong, and that C.P.A. should be excluded. We hope that this appeal will be submitted by early next week.

I personally find the decision very difficult to swallow. C.P.A. have of course been strongly discouraged by H.M.G. from making earlier application for the route, over a period of several years, and long before the U.K. independents evinced any interest in serving Hong Kong. There can be little doubt that it is this delay which has in the event cost us the route - unless the decision can in some way be overturned.

You may also be interested to know that when C.P.A's re-equipment was being planned, in the early 1970's, a firm decision was taken to purchase the DC10. It was only because the U.K. Government urged us strongly to look again at this decision, and support British industry, that we did so and decided to purchase the Tri-star with its Rolls Royce engines. Subsequently we have bought Rolls powered B747's. As a result British manufacturers have already benefitted to the tune of some £70M, and are assured of a further £10M per annum or so in the future. It is ironic that the major factor in the C.A.A's decision to award the route to BCAL was the fact that BCAL, a U.K. independent, had gone ahead and purchased the DC10!

/Cont'd.....

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