Air fares up

At least four Pacific airlines increased their fares in Septem ber. Rising fuel costs, higher wages bills, maintenance and associated airline costs were blamed.

Air Melanesiae lifted domes tic fares by 4.5 per cent. Poly nesian Airlines lifted fares by 12 per cent. Air Niugini added an average 10 per cent to domestic passenger, freight and charter rates. Air Pacific raised fares and cargo charges on internal routes by 13.5 per cent.

In defending the increases for Air Niugini, PNG’s Minister for Transport and Civil Aviation, Mr lambakey Okuk, explained that international airline fares and freight rates had increased on August 1 and further rises were predicted to come into effect around November 1. This would result in increases of 20 per cent in international tariffs in nine months, he said. Further, Air Pacific had increased fare and freight rates by 10 per cent in July and was seeking further rises, while the Australian domes tic tariffs rose by an average of 12 per cent in August.