not a talking shop

Forum co-op wanted, not a talking shop

The South Pacific Forum will stand or fall on civil aviation. Fiji’s Prime Minister, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, said after the March forum meeting in Rarotonga, civil aviation would be the real test of Pacific regional co operation.

“If we fail to resolve this problem, then the forum will become nothing more than a talking shop,” he said.

The forum authorised Fiji to call a meeting of civil aviation ministers to consider the future of the regional airline, Air Pacific.

It was apparent that most dele gates were not adequately briefed to debate in depth any question of regional airlines. They seemed un sure of themselves, of the role the forum should play, and where Spec should come into the picture.

Ratu Sir Kamisese, who was in the chair, had no doubts. Spec, under the Spec agreement, had a role in transport, and transport covered air lines as well as shipping.

The Prime Minister of Tonga, Prince Tuipelehake, did not take part in the debate, yet Tonga has been talking about wide-ranging services with a big jet it hopes to get from Japan.

With national aspirations running high, civil aviation does present a problem. Nauru has its own airline, Tonga wants one. There are Poly nesian Airlines in Western Samoa and Air Niugini in Papua New Guinea.

Whether a region so thinly popu lated as the South Pacific needs a multitude of regional airlines, is debatable. Most areas are already well serviced and newcomers will cut into limited markets. The capital cost of setting up an airline with modern aircraft is huge, and unless there is substantial help from outside it is likely to severely strain the resources of the Island territories.

Nauru’s airline does not clash on any of its services with Air Pacific, but it could in view of the agree ment signed on March 18 between Nauru and Western Samoa allowing the running of air services by desig nated flag carriers between the two countries. Landing rights in Western Samoa could be the first step in a long-range plan to extend Nauru Pacific Airline services further south Air Pacific flies into Papua New gumea, and it is on the cards that PNG will later seek reciprocal rights

to Fiji and beyond. Air Pacific and Polynesian Airlines have a happy arrangement over services covering Fiji, Western Samoa and Tonga.

Air Pacific is well equipped to con tinue and expand present regional services. It has the necessary infra structure and something for which there is no substitute—experience.

Fragmentation of efforts almost certainly would lead to financial disaster. It would be better now to divert resources into something solid, rather than in laying expensive air strips to take the big jets and in buying big jets. Viable internal air lines, using small aircraft which do not require the same capital invest ment are better propositions for some of the islands. Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and the Cook Islands already have such air services.

The experience of some of the international airlines, tapping big markets, should serve as a warning to would-be operators. Close to home Qantas has had its difficulties. Air- India pulled out of the Sydney-Nadi return service because of poor patro nage. American Airlines has failed to make a go of the South Pacific.

Fiji's Tough Line

On Landing Rights

The Fiji Government is undis mayed about the reaction of travel agents to its tough talk about ban ning United States airlines from Nadi unless Air Pacific gets rights at Pago Pago. The Society for Fiji Travel Agencies (SOFTA) considers the withdrawal of these rights, plus a union ban on UTA and the with drawal by Air-India of its Sydney- Nadi service could have grave effects on the growth of the Fiji Tourist Industry. The union lifted the ban on UTA in March.

The Fiji Prime Minister, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, after a recent Cabinet meeting, said the US had the better side of the deal because it had air route rights to fly to Fiji while Fiji had nothing in return. All Fiji wanted was Pago Pago rights.

The Fiji Government soon showed it meant business when it refused to allow PAA to start a weekly Nadi- Auckland service till the differences between Fiji and the US were settled. °£A asked to take over a flight which had been operated by Ameri can Airlines.