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Aviation History
1987
1987 - 2154.PDF
AIR TRANSPORT Airline penalties branded "unfair" LONDON Britain's immigration author ities are imposing unfair penalties on airlines which carry illegal immigrants into the country, according to the Board of Airline Representa tives in the UK (Baruk). The airlines claim that the authorities' interpretation of current legislation is inequit able and possibly illegal. They are seeking Home Office support for an amendment to the 1971 Immigration Act. This Act requires airlines to pay maintenance and accom modation charges for any passengers detained for ques tioning by immigration offi cers, "without limit of time". The new 1987 Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act imposes a further £1,000 fine on airlines for every passenger "improperly presented" to immigration—in other words, aliens who try to gain entry into the UK without either a valid passport or a valid visa. "Our argument is that this is really rather unfair. Airlines can get a bill for some chap who has been here three weeks. We believe that, as in Canada, the first 72 hours of detention should be down to the airline, and that is all they pay. We would accept the Canadian precedent," says Baruk chairman Connor McGrath, Aer Lingus general manager in London. Airlines are also upset at the British Government's implied suggestion that they are "profiteering" by agreeing to carry passengers who do not have valid travel documents—a suggestion McGrath says is "very irri tating and untrue". "There's a lot of money involved, and the 1987 Act was rather rushed through. The airlines want a more equitable method of assessment for liability, and more flexibility from the authorities," he says. Baruk representatives are now seeking a meeting with British Home Office officials. First orders for Super 31 British Aerospace has sold its first Jetstream Super 31s with a $65 million order for 15 of the type and options on 15 more from American Eagle carrier Wings West. This follows Wings West's recent order for ten BAe ATPs. Wings West, based at San Luis Obispo, California, is to take the Super 31 with its uprated Garrett TPE 331-12 engines starting in 1989. Wings West chairman and CEO Carl Albert says: "The -12 engine stood the Jetstream Super 31 out on its own ahead of the competition." American Airlines fully supports the purchase because of the success other American Eagle carriers such as Metro Airlines (above) has had with the Jetstream 31. Austrian goes public VIENNA Austrian Airlines is to go public next year, with 25 per cent of the share capital of Austrian Schillings 1 • 8 billion ($140 million) going up for sale. The sale, which is expected to take place next May, is part of an Austrian Government effort to promote a wider public interest in share ownership. It will raise much- needed revenue to finance Government expenditure plans. Austrian currently operates a fleet of 13 McDonnell Douglas MD-81s and four DC-9-32s on its predom inantly European route network. The DC-9s are due for replacement by MD-87s later this year, and the airline plans to open services to New York and Tokyo in 1989, when it takes delivery of two Airbus A310-300s. NEWS SCAN The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) is to improve the schedules, price structures, and airport services in China to cope with the rapid growth in tourism. The CAAC's deputy director, Xu Bailin, says that the nation's airline has lagged behind owing to the lack of funds and co ordination. Passenger traffic has grown by an average of 36 per cent a year in the past three years. An $11 million expansion of Beijing airport is planned, Xu Bailin says, as well as the construction of new airports in regional centres. British provincial airports of all sizes are reporting bumper figures in passenger traffic. Manchester Inter national's passenger num bers for August, at 1-13 million, were up by 14 per cent, and aircraft movements rose by 8 per cent compared with August last year. The number of passengers on scheduled flights had risen by 23 per cent. Newcastle International proclaims consistent monthly "records", with passenger traffic for August up nearly 5 per cent. Southampton/Eastleigh re ports a massive August-on- August increase of 67 per cent, mostly because reduced sea ferry services to the Channel Islands forced people into the air. Southend's previous best month was August 1985, with 29,478 passengers, but this August set a new record of 29,760. British Airways and Sunmed Holidays are to combine their inclusive-tour operations in a new company in which BA will have a 50 per cent interest. BA's Enterprise, Flair, Sovereign, and Martin Rooks tour operations merge with Sunmed's Go Greek, Go Turkey, and Go Ski brands. Speedbird Holidays is not part of the deal. Finnair, having now com pleted the world's first Efis (electronic flight instrument system) refit on a McDonnell Douglas MD-80 series aircraft (one of their own MD-82s), is now offering the service to other operators. FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL, 24 October 1987
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