Air Service

For Cook Island To Start Soon

Polynesian Airlines Ltd expects to start an air ser vice soon between Westerr Samoa and Aitutaki anc Rarotonga in the Cook Is lands. The Cooks have beer without a commercial ai] service since TEAL aban doned its flying-boats i couple of years ago.

T'HE new service is expected A begin soon after PAL be] using a newly-acquired DC3 airc early in May on its flights betw Faleolo (Western Samoa) and P Pago. Until now, PAL has use< Percival Prince.

After the Cook Islands service running smoothly, PAL will consi starting a service from West Samoa to Tonga and on to Fiji, ( application by Fiji Airways to crease its fortnightly service fr Fiji to Samoa to once a week ’ refused by the Samoan Governm in April.) The managing director of Pv Mr. E. F, Paul, visited New Zeali in April to interview pilots, co-pi and engineers for the DC3, wh was then being overhauled and fitted in Christchurch.

The DC3 will be able to ca more than twice as many as the present Percival Prince. 1 should mean that no coming through Pago Pago to A will have to stay overnight at Pi because of heavy loadings.

The Samoa Bulletin said on Ma 15 that PAL considered that its f responsibility was to see that Pago Pago operations were not n lected. But it was confident tl with the additional seats offered the DC3, further routes could added to the company’s services wi out penalising the inter-Samoan a vice.

The PAL plans in April di criticism in the Cook Islands, wh earlier this year had the promise a direct air service to NG thror Airlines of New Zealand. The / lines of NZ application was rejec: by the NZ Government. Cc Islands opinion is that a dir service would be better than a rou about route through Samoa and F