Dca Shoos Ansett Away From

Sydney-New Guinea Air Service

Port Moresby

The application by Ansett Airways of Australia to establish a new air-service between Australia and Port Moresby, made known in late May and rejected by the Australian Department of Civil Aviation shortly afterwards (May 28) has caused considerable comment in the Territory.

ANSETT’S plans became known only a few weeks after the recent pilots’ strike which completely disorganised P-NG com merce and infuriated hundreds of intending passengers who wished to travel between Australia and the Territory by Qantas.

Psychologically, Ansett could not have picked a better time to launch their scheme. Territorians were very sympathetic—not so much because they all intend to patronise Ansett, but because they think it will “keep Qantas on its toes.”

Qantas officials in P-NG would be the last to deny that this feeling Is general in Papua-New Guinea at the present time.

Reasons given by the Department of Civil Aviation for refusing the permit have been described as “specious”.

The Department refused the per mit because: • It was considered that existing services provided by Qantas were satisfactory; and • That the Department was re viewing the whole policy on the New Guinea services and would not alter the present arrangement until the review was complete.

The second reason for refusal probably refers to the fact that when the new airstrip at Port Moresby is completed, towards the end of 1958, Super Constellation air craft will be able to be used on the Sydney-Port Moresby service (with feeder services beyond); and it is expected that Qantas services to the Far East will be routed through Moresby instead of Darwin.

Ansett Will Apply Again

A SPOKESMAN for Ansett said that the company would apply again for a licence.

The company had applied for a licence to operate between Cairns and Port Moresby—Ansett services already operate to Cairns from Australian southern States.

It had planned a three-times-a week service which would even tually become a daily service.

Fares would be cheaper than Qantas.

In addition to providing for Terri tory requirements, Ansett wanted

to develop the tourist potential of New Guinea.

The company has bought four Convair Metropolitan airliners, worth £400,000 each, with the New Guinea route in mind.

Delivery of the first plane was ex pected early this month, with two more to come in September and the last in October.

Captain S. C. Middlemiss, of An sett Airways, went to Port Moresby in May to survey the situation. On his return to Sydney he said that he had had an encouraging reception from residents and commerce.

“We thought a precedent had been created some years ago when Trans-Oceanic Airways held a licence,” he said. “Having created a precedent we thought the depart ment would automatically grant us one.” (Trans-Oceanic Airways ran a flying-boat service Sydney-Port Moresby a few years ago in opposi tion to Qantas. The company failed.)

DCA Interference

QANTAS Empire Airways’ inter

national air services compete successfully, on their own merits, with the best air services in the world and they can, if they wish, and without artificial protection, compete just as successfully with any other air service that is intro duced on the Australia-New Guinea service.

So far as this journal and its owners are concerned, we have en joyed the happiest relations with Qantas, and the greatest possible co-operation.

However, it is quite obvious that the people who live in the Terri tory of Papua-New Guinea are generally of the opinion that another airline on the Australia- P-NG service would greatly benefit the Territory.

At the same time, a reputable Australian airline is willing to enter this service without asking for any aid from the Australian Govern ment other than permission to do so.

Therefore, the refusal of a licence by the Department of Civil Aviation, acting in order to protect the Gov

ernment-owned Qantas, or fo( reasons of so-called “gover policy” can be regarded only warranted interference wit) freedom of private enterpi which the present Australian eminent is pledged.

Because of the importance: transportation and air-freighi the Territory of Papua-New C the decisions of the Departni Civil Aviation have an influe the lives of the people then is almost incredible. This the first time that the wishes people of the Territory ha counter to what the Departms permit.

On the face of it, one imagine that the Department) be fulfilling its functions if that aircraft operated safely it should have the power t

proposed extension-of-operat: established airlines is hard toi stand.

It would be idle to suppoj Qantas, even though enjo; monopoly, has not had reaj culties in providing the k service it has for New Guine of these problems has (as we ; out in May) been that of ing. Plenty of cargo goes i Guinea; almost none comes Ansett plans a service as tension from Cairns. That ; the key to its back-loading pi

Qantas Chairman Vl£

P-Ng

THE Chairman of Qantas Airways, Sir Hudson Fyshi all main centres in Papi Guinea in May, and met all citizens, organisations and tin He said that when the m strip was completed at Ja (Port Moresby) that airport) likely be used by Qantas o< Far Eastern Services; and would permit also, the subs: of Super Constellations on til ney-Port Moresby service.

Sir Hudson said that aj ments were almost compli Qantas to replace the Catalii on some internal routes in the tory, with a single-enginedt These planes can have floats,, or both, thus acting as an amn