Polynesian

New Planes For

Airlines

Polynesian Airlines, of Western

Samoa, which lost one of its two DC-3 aircraft in a crash near

Savaii, Western Samoa, in May,

expects to take delivery of a re placement DC-3 from New Zea land in September. It also plans to buy a DC-4.

WITH a second DC-3 in service, the airline will resume regular weekly flights from Apia to Nuku alofa, Tonga, and return. Such flights have been made only sporadically since the May crash.

In the past, the Apia-Nukualofa service has not been profitable. But with the opening of Tonga’s Dateline Hotel, now scheduled for September, there should be considerably more traffic.

There are no definite plans yet for the DC-4.

Such a plane would be too big for Apia’s Faleolo Airport, so the manag ing director of PAL, Mr. Eugene Paul, has been negotiating with the United States authorities for per mission to operate it out of American Samoa’s international airport at Tafuna.

Mr. Paul has also been negotiating with the French authorities for land ing rights in Tahiti, with the idea of establishing a service between American Samoa and Tahiti.

If such a service comes into being a stop will presumably be made at Aitutaki, Cook Islands. This island was linked with Apia by PAL DC-3 until the end of June, when a regula tion came into effect forbidding planes from being more than 90 minutes from an airstrip at any time (. PIM, July, p. 125).

TRAVEL requirements for visitors to Western Samoa are to be eased soon. Travellers will no longer need to seek approval for visas from the Western Samoan Prime Minister’s Department.

New Zealand consular offices (or, in their absence, British consular offices) will be able to issue visas for any purpose (tourism, business, etc.) for up to 28 days.

The Secretary to the Western Samoan Government, Mr. H. A.

Levestam, said in July that new in

structions for the consular offices were almost ready to be sent out.

He added that travellers wishing to visit Western Samoa would have to satisfy the consular officials that they would have accommodation in the country, sufficient funds for their stay, and onward transportation.

EVER since the French Govern ment unceremoniously cancel led TEAL’s traffic rights in Tahiti at the end of 1963, that company (now Air New Zealand) has been dream ing of the day when it could get back on the profitable Coral Route, which it pioneered with a flying boat in 1951.

At the end of June, it looked as if its “return to paradise” was nearly here.

New Zealand’s Assistant Secretary for Civil Aviation, Mr. Don Toms, concluded an agreement in Paris with French Civil Aviation authorities for

Air New Zealand to call at Tahiti en route to Los Angeles. In return, France was granted the right to fly through Auckland on its round-the world service. The two countries also exchanged rights for local services between Auckland and Noumea.

After the agreement had been initialled, New Zealand’s Minister of Civil Aviation, Mr. McAlpine, stressed the importance to Air New Zealand’s future of securing a new Pacific route in view of rapidly in creasing interest by competing over seas airlines, particularly British and American.

Then came a cruel blow. Air New Zealand lost one of its DC-B’s in a crash at Auckland’s Mangere Air port on July 4, and plans for re

opening the Coral Route had to be shelved for the time being.

PREDICTIONS that Fiji Airways was to get a new aircraft were confirmed in mid-July when the company’s board announced it had ordered a Hawker Siddely 748 turbo prop. The plane will be delivered in about a year and will operate on Fiji Airways’ regional route to the Islands.

The new HS-748 will carry 40 passengers and cruise at 300 mph at altitudes up to 25,000 feet.

A$A 170,000 contract has been awarded to contractors D. I.

Gubbay (New Hebrides) for the modernisation of Honiara’s Mendana Hotel. Improvements include a double storey block containing 15 air-con ditioned, twin-bedroom units, a pool and squash courts. The completed hotel will have 65 beds and is ex pected to be completed in mid-1967.