fight-back

The Norfolk fight-back

NORFOLK Island’s government, deeply worried by the effects of the Australian domestic pilots’ dis pute nas had on the island’s one source of revenue tourism has begun talks to try and insulate itself against further troubles. Initially it is seeking some 737 jet flights on the services from Sydney and Brisbane, but long-term it wants Norfolk declared an international des tination which would allow other Pacific carriers to fly into the island.

Immigration and Commerce Minister Bill Blucher said the island, even with the airlines reporting services back to near-normal, is receiving only three F2B flights a week from Sydney, and one from Brisbane. Normally there was a daily service. And, at the height of the dispute, the island was dependent on the Royal Australian Air Force which flew occasional Hercules services from the Australian mainland.

But East-West, a subsidiary of Ansett Australia which provides the scheduled runs from the Australian mainland, has not been able to get back to daily flights.

“They’re hesitant about providing addi tional aircraft we feel as if we’re at the end of the queue,” said Blucher.

Since August, disaster had struck the Norfolk Island tourism businesses hotels were feeling the pinch, with some of the smaller accommodation houses running at about 30 per cent occupancy.

Blucher said some tourist-related businesses, such as duty-free outlets, would go out of business as a result of the pilots’ dispute. The only stable factor had been the three normal weekly Air New Zealand flights from Auckland, us ing a Boeing 737 and Air New Zea land had thrown in a few additional flights as well.

Blucher said the government is asking Ansett/East-West to introduce the 737- 300 aircraft, the largest which the Nor folk Island landing strip can handle.

They seat more than 100 people, against the F2B’s 58 capacity. They also can car ry much greater tonnages of mail and cargo both of which have been subject

to delays during the dispute.

What the Norfolk Islanders want is one 737 flight each week in addition to existing services, with an optimum of four 737 jet services between Norfolk and Sydney each week, and one from Brisbane that would mean an annual tourist turnover of 30,000 people which is about comfortable capacity for the is land’s facilities. Blucher is hoping the service will be upgraded by June. □