Competition

New Airways Competition For Tahiti

Airline competition using Tahiti as a tourist draw card warmed up a bit more in November when Aus tralia’s international airline Qantas inaugurated a weekly Boeing 707 service Sydney-Nadi-Papeete and re turn.

THIS means that there are now three international airlines flying into Tahiti—Qantas, UTA (formerly TAI) and TEAL. A fourth, Pan American Airways, will be flying there soon.

The inaugural flight of Qantas was on Friday, November 22, leaving Sydney at 8 p.m. and arriving in Papeete at 8.30 a.m. the same day (the International Date Line having been crossed).

On the return service the 707 leaves Tahiti 22 hours later, arriving in Sydney at 12.30 p.m. on the Sun day.

The new service has been under negotiation by Qantas for some years but ran into difficulties because of bilateral agreements.

Even now the service is by provi sional arrangement and what the future holds for it will depend on many things.

Qantas is aiming at a South Pacific crossing to Mexico, and then on to London. Tahiti is thus a vital link.

Pan American Airways is getting into the Tahiti service by taking over the Dollar interests of South Pacific Airlines, which operates to Tahiti from Honolulu. PanAm plans to use 707 s on the new service.

SPAL has authority to operate be tween Hawaii - Christmas Island - Tahiti - American Samoa - Western Samoa-Fiji.

French Name Change The French airline TAI (Trans ports Aeriens Intercontinentaux) has merged with UAT (Union Aeromari time de Transports) and has changed Its name to UTA (Union de Trans ports Aeriens). In Australia the com pany will be known as UTA-Air France.

Airlines of NSW, which operates a flying boat service from Sydney to Lord Howe Island, has still not bought another aircraft to replace the Sandringham lost in a storm on the island in July. Officials inspected two Sandringhams in South America, but they were in need of repairs and now the company is hoping to secure the release of an RNZAF Sunderland.