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Aviation History
1971
1971 - 2377.PDF
FLIGHT International, II November 1971 753 AIR TRANSPORT Three to Paris WE WILL INCREASE THE BRITISH SHARE of the traffic by the provision of better service. The public has benefited from our competition on domestic routes and we think the same will happen internationally." This was said by Mr Adam Thomson, chairman of British Cale donian Airways, at a press conference in Paris on Novem ber 1, after the arrival at Le Bourget from Gatwick of the first independent scheduled service on the route since the thirties. This was the third international scheduled route in augurated by British Caledonian following the British Government policy to designate this independent on cer tain international routes or areas hitherto served by BOAC and BEA. The last BEA service to Le Bourget was on October 31, all the corporation's Paris services now terminating at Orly. About 25 BEA traffic and operations staff at Le Bourget have joined British Caledonian in a smooth and co-operative transition. The independent has opened a reservations office in the Rue de la Paix in Paris. British Caledonian claims that its new "Golden Lion" One-Eleven service provides the fastest link between the two capitals, with a total city-centre journey time of just over two-and-a-half hours. The point is made that Gatwick is of benefit to the large numbers of people living in the southern "catchment area" who previously found the Heathrow journey a deterrent. The new service will also interline with many of British Caledonian's customers from the Canadian and US markets, in which the airline has long specialised. Many group visitors to Britain want to make the trip to Paris. British Caledonian's chairman emphasised the import ances of the new service from the interline point of view, with the company's services to Africa and South Africa and UK domestic services. He said that the forward-booking situation was reflecting the anticipated slow build-up; they could have left the service until the summer, but felt that the winter lead-in would provide valuable experience. The new service, Mr Thomson said, would break even in the first year and make a profit in the second. The airline expected to move to the new Paris Airport at Roissy when it opened. Nothing had been agreed, "but we haven't been told we can't go there." No particular difficulties have been experienced with the Anglo-French bilateral agreement. It has been under stood from the beginning of negotiations that the British Caledonian share must come out of BEA's to maintain the 50/50 Anglo-French capacity share. British Cale donian's licence restricts frequencies to 28 per week. This winter Caledonian's share of the total market will be between 12 and 13 per cent with four One-Eleven flights a day. On-Mondays to Fridays BAC One-Eleven 200s carry ing eight first-class and 90 economy-class seats will be scheduled; at weekends all-economy BAC One-Eleven 500s with 114 seats will be operated. British Caledonian will serve hot meals to first-class pas sengers and cold trays in economy class. BEA and Air France discontinued economy-class meals some years ago. British Caledonian is also offering seat selection, another novelty on this route. It is anticipated that about 120,000 passengers will be carried in the first full year. British Caledonian will con tinue to operate its London-Paris Silver Arrow rail/air service which sells to a different part of the market. British Caledonian will not be operating in a pool with BEA or Air France and for the future, said Mr Thomson, "we hope not to have to." The airline's profit in the first full year ending Septem ber 1971 since the merger with BUA will, said Mr Thomson, exceed £1 million net, including capital charges but before tax, on a capital of £8-3 million and a turnover of £45 million. Recalling that British Caledonian had inaugurated the West African route transfer in April and Tripoli in June, Mr Thompson said that its recent application for the North Atlantic service was consistent with the policy which had been laid down by the Government "and we believe as the second British carrier we will achieve a higher share of the market." Asked about aircraft re-equipment Mr Thomson was non-committal, although he pointed out that the airline had to buy aircraft which would suit its highly diversified business, which included charter, cargo, inclu sive tours as well as scheduled services, all short-haul and long-haul. Whether or not the company could "go public" for new capital was a question related to the North Atlantic deci sion. It thought that 1973 would be the right year to start this service. "We doubt whether there will be an open rate in 1973 after 1972." Caledonian's revenue came about equally from charter and scheduled operations, said Mr Thomson. Asked about the Laker application to serve the North Atlantic with the very-low-fare "Skytrain" service, Mr Thomson said: "It does not help unless you have full aircraft and low frequencies." He felt that wide-body aircraft were essential; two or three in number would be best for the New York service. The phasing out of the airline's four VClOs depended on the market—"if there is a market then they will go in the next three years, if not we will continue to fly them." The rest of the fleet comprises 20 One-Elevens and six 707s; total work force is 5,300. British Caledonian's chairman thought he would pass on to the Press a request from British Caledonian staff made at a recent meeting. Someone from the shop floor had asked him: "Can you stop people calling us a second force, guv'nor? We think we are a second-to-none force." AIR FRANCE ORDERS AIRBUS THE first airline order for the A-300B came on Novem ber 3 when Air France confirmed its intention of buying six aircraft, with options on a further ten. The contract was due to be signed in Paris on Tuesday, November 9, a full month earlier than had been expected by French observers. As a member of the Atlas group of airlines, Air France has been involved in the preparation of the detailed type specification of the A-300B-1; the airline has, however, called for an 8ft 6in increase in fuselage length to allow the inclusion of three extra rows of seats—24 passengers —and this slightly stretched variant is designated the -2. The unit cost of the A-300B is £5-2 million and the Air France order, including spares, is valued at £45 mil lion, of which £7 million will be accounted for by British components. In addition to wings from Hawker Siddeley, power control units are supplied by Hobson and flight
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