§ BARONESS BURTON OF COVENTRYMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what reply has been received from the Civil Aviation Authority concerning the suggestion that a European Fares Conference should be held to discuss the introduction of cheap fares on scheduled air services in Europe similar to those agreed in principle for the North Atlantic route as from April 1, 1973.
468§ THE MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO (LORD DRUMALBYN)My Lords, the Authority tell me that they have considered carefully the points put by the noble Baroness in her supplementary questions on November 23. It is the Authority's view that it is premature to press the airlines to hold such a conference as the noble Baroness suggests. The Authority tell me that B.E.A., with their agreement, have been pressing for the introduction of advance booking fares on scheduled services but have been unable to persuade any of the other airlines concerned to adopt them. This is essentially a matter where progress depends on agreement between the airlines and governmental authorities concerned.
§ BARONESS BURTON OF COVENTRYMy Lords, would it not be possible for the Government to take a more progressive view than that of the Civil Aviation Authority? Is the Minister aware that the promotional fares existing in this country at the moment cover neither all travellers nor all routes, and that what is wanted is one simple plan by which travellers can book in advance? Would the Minister not agree that our own scheduled airlines at the moment feel that they are fighting for the survival of scheduled air services and that they themselves realise that they must have an answer to the cheap fares to be given by the charter airlines as from April 1?
§ LORD DRUMALBYNMy Lords, if it is progressive to press for the introduction of the advance charter service, this is something which we have been doing, but the fact remains that it would be quite unrealistic to imagine that it would be possible to introduce such a service in Europe by April 1 next. All the evidence is that other countries will be looking carefully to see the effect of the introduction of these services on the North Atlantic and mid Atlantic routes before they make up their minds whether it is a good thing for Europe.
§ BARONESS BURTON OF COVENTRYMy Lords, I am sorry but obviously I was not clear. Is the Minister aware that I was not pressing for cheaper fares on charter services? Those are to be available from April 1. Does the Minister not recall that I was asking whether it 469 was not true that our own scheduled airlines were wanting an answer to those cheap fares that were to be introduced by the charter airlines; and is he not further aware that it is no use saying it is always premature? Why should air travellers in Europe not have the same consideration as those crossing the North Atlantic?
§ LORD DRUMALBYNMy Lords, the answer to the last part of the question is that the conditions in the two areas are totally different, and this has long been recognised. In the European market air services have developed in a totally different way from that in the transatlantic market. For example, cheap travel based on package tours has developed very widely indeed in the European market. I can only repeat that it is not realistic to suppose that further cheap fares can be introduced in Europe in addition to the existing concessionary fares by April of the coming year.
§ LORD HARVEY OF PRESTBURYMy Lords, while appreciating that British airlines have given the lead in reducing world fares on many routes, is it not quite extraordinary that it is now much cheaper to fly to New York from this country than to the central Mediterranean? Will the Government continue to give a lead and endeavour to see that people who cannot afford high fares are able to take advantage of the lower fares?
§ LORD DRUMALBYNMy Lords, I think it is always necessary to compare like with like, but I can assure noble Lords that we shall go on pressing for the introduction of some service of this kind in Europe. But, as I have said, it must depend on the agreement of other countries.
§ BARONESS BURTON OF COVENTRYMy Lords, is the Minister aware that really and truly nobody will have anything much to fear if the Government continue to press in the present manner? Is it not possible for them to have a conference to deal with fares after April 1? Have we to stay in the negative because we cannot have cheap fares before April 1?
§ LORD DRUMALBYNNo, my Lords. What I said to the noble Baroness was that the evidence is that other countries will be watching to see what the effect of 470 these reduced fares in the Atlantic services will be over the year, and in the light of that it may be possible to persuade other countries to come to the conference table. But at the moment it is unrealistic to suppose that they would.