Extraordinary
p. 28 · Read in the full issue
News: Air
Fare Cuts
Air fares on routes connecting eight Islands territories fell by up to 10 per cent, on single rates and about five per cent, on re turn rates from April 1.
The reductions apply to services operated by the British Common wealth-controlled and Fiji-based Fiji Airways Ltd. network. They are a small step in the right direction to reduce regional Islands fares, which remain among the world’s highest, With a fleet of three turbo-prop HS74B’s, Fiji Airways will “go pure jet” in 1972, with new equipment. It operates monopoly services on several of its runs and receives subsidies to fly to certain spots.
The territories affected by the lower fares are Papua-New Guinea, the Solomons, New Hebrides, Nauru, the Gilbert and Ellice Islands, Fiji, Western Samoa and Tonga, No reductions, however, have been made to Fiji Airways’ internal services within Fiji and the Gilbert and Ellice Islands, Examples of the new single fare regional rates out of Nadi, Fiji, are: Nauru, $235.50 (old fare, $262); Tarawa, $180.50 ($200.50); Port Moresby, $256.50 ($272.90); Tonga, unchanged at $52.20 and Vila, $71.40 ($79.30). Rates in Australian dollars.