Suva-Sydney Air Service
p. 18 · Read in the full issue
Will Be Retained Fewer Flights and More Inconvenience
AS an outcome of the protests made in Australia, New Cale donia and Fiji, Qantas flying ooats will continue to operate from Sydney to Suva, via Noumea. It will not. however, be the direct service enjoyed previously and it will be available only once fortnightly in stead of once weekly.
Under the new arrangement, which commenced on July 28, Noumea (New Caledonia) and Vila and Santo (New Hebrides) will continue to have a weekly service. But on alternate weeks, the plane will run a shuttle service from Noumea to Suva after making the Noumea- Vila-Santo-Noumea section of the flight.
Passengers to Suva will wait in Noumea from 8 am Thursday until 11 am Friday while the flying-boat makes the trip to the New Hebrides and passengers from the Hebrides, going to Sydney on that service, will then wait in Noumea from 10 am Friday until 1 pm Saturday while the aircraft goes to Suva and returns.
This arrangement allows Qantas to make more economical use of its planes and at the same time gives the Hebrides and New Caledonia their weekly link with Australia, and Noumea its link with Suva. The short break in Noumea will prob ably be acceptable to tourists but travellers who wish to reach Suva or Sydney quickly will find it a' considerable inconvenience.