TNAG-1635-FCO40-2251-Overseas-visits-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-1988 — Page 30

CONFIDENTIAL

7. You also asked us to investigate the possibility of using a VC10. Total journey time from Heathrow to Oita via Anchorage by VC10 would be approximately 19 hours. The return journey from Tokyo to Heathrow would take approximately 17 hours. By using the VC10 the Secretary of State could arrive in Oita on the evening of Friday 8 January, which would enable him to have a full working day there on Saturday 9 January but this could equally be achieved by taking the JAT, flight. Use of the VC10 on the return leg would enable the Secretary of State to add half a working day to his programme in Tokyo and still return to London by the late evening of Wednesday

13 January. Alternatively he could have a full working day on 13 January, arriving back on London in the small hours of Thursday 14 January. Returning on British Airways flight BA 007 (ETA Heathrow 05.15 on 14 January) would also extend the time available in Tokyo by a full working day.

8.

The time savings which could be achieved by using a VC10 rather than commercial flights would therefore be small. But the Secretary of State would be able to sleep on the aircraft, and a larger party, perhaps including members of the press, could accompany him if he flew by VC10. The total cost of using the VC10 would be approximately £123,000 against the cost of using commercial airlines of approximately £36,650.

J. T. hose feld

Thorold Masefieľa

PD6AAD

CONFIDENTIAL

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