loss to a profit

Air Pacific flies from a loss to a profit

Air Pacific has just enjoyed i record year with an opcrating profit of about £750 000, three times higher han the previous best op- "rating profit. The profit :ame hard on a loss of $l.l ni 11 ion in 1976-77, and exneeded by more than £7OO 000 an expected modest profit of $2l 000.

The chairman, Suva ac- :ountant Don Aidney, said a growth in tourist and lomestic traffic and increased Tficiency in operations led to he increased profit. For 1978-79 the airline is budgetng for a profit of $640 000.

In the current year (Air

Pacific’s financial year ends on March 31) a third BAG 1 1 1 will be added to the fleet, and there will be increased landing and service costs. Air Pacific also has two HS74Bs and one Trislander to cope with domestic and interna tional traffic. Mr Aidney said the third BAG 111 was looked on as a short-term investment, to cover a gap till the board could decide which were the best larger aircraft for regional and international flights.

Mr Aidney said it was ex pected Air Pacific would not have to increase fares on the majority of the domestic

routes. The number of staff would be increased by 33 this year to take the total number of employees to 518. Two cadet pilots would be trained at Newcastle, NSW.

A new general manager, Mr Alan Bodger, will replace Mr Stan Quigg, who is retiring.

Mr Quigg will stay with the

airline till June to July to help Mr Bodger to settle in. Mr Bodger, 56, retired in Febru ary as general manager of Gulf Air. an Arabian airline.

Before taking a ground posi tion, Mr Bodger was a pilot with BOAC, Aden Airways (a BOAC subsidiary), Arab Air ways and Hong Kong Air ways.