§ 44. Mr. Allasonasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his estimate of the resulting increase in cost of the average package tour if night charter flights were abandoned between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.
§ Mr. AllasonWill my right hon. Friend comment on the one figure which I have seen, an increase of only £9, coming from a very distinguished member of the industry? If it is a figure of this order, does it not mean that the air fare for a holiday is very little more than the air fare for a normal flight, in which case there would be very little hardship for the traveller compared with the extreme hardship for those who have to live underneath these night flights?
§ Mr. NobleI accept my hon. Friend's worries about the hardship from noise, and so on. It is very difficult to give an accurate figure. We know that it would mean utilising aircraft about 25 per cent. less at the peak period of the year, but this is very difficult to calculate. However, even £9, if the particular tour is in the £25 to £30 bracket, is a pretty steep increase.