The sky’s

now the limit

THE decision by French minister of transport Bernard Bosson to allow two French private companies to operate flights between Paris and Noumea has put an end to Air France’s last monopoly over a French Overseas Territory, and should result in cheaper tickets for tourists and travellers to and from

Europe.

From last month, CORSAIR, a sub sidiary of the giant travel company Nouvelles Frontieres, and AOM, mostly specialised in flights from Paris to the French Overseas Territories and depart ments, started flying once a week from Paris to New Caledonia - CORSAIR with a Boeing 747 via Tsien Tsin in China, and AOM with a DC 10-3 via Bangkok. This small revolution was long awaited in New Caledonia a petition

signed by 15,000 people had been presented in Paris, urging the authorities to open the Caledonia’s skies to compe tition. AOM and CORSAIR will add several hundred seats a week to the seven Air France flights. The two companies announced a round trip ticket starting at around US$llOO. These prices won’t be

much cheaper than the cheapest Air France ones (US$l32O), but the national airline only offered a limited number of seats on each flight with these fares, making them very difficult to obtain. Air France in New Caledonia is of course “worried” it will consider a reduction of its flights and, consequently, of its workforce of 360.

Bosson had postponed his decision from October, in the hope that Air France and Air Caledonie International would reach a commercial agreement on

the joint exploitation of the Paris/

Noumea route and regional services. But in mid May, Air Caledonie International turned this down, “in view of the insufficient guarantees” offered by Air France. Observers expect one of the two newcomers in New Caledonia’s skies to approach the local company soon. □