§ 2.44 p.m.
§ Lord THOMASMy 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 whether the integration into British Airways of BOAC and BEA has reached a sufficient stage to warrant public satisfaction.
§ Lord WINTERBOTTOMMy Lords, the Government consider that British Airways are pressing ahead with the integration of the airline as rapidly as can be expected, but much remains to be done.
§ Lord THOMASMy Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for that good Answer, may I ask whether he is aware that the air travelling public are getting heartily sick of these threats of strikes at peak holiday traffic times, such as Easter? Will he accept that it is not so much people being fearful of not getting away as being frightened by the fact that there may be a strike when they want to come back on schedule? Will the noble Lord do every- thing he can to encourage management, trade union leaders and workers in the air business to settle their squabbles and return British Airways to the presentation of a solid and prosperous front to the highly competitive world of international air transport?
§ Lord WINTERBOTTOMMy Lords, I am certain that everyone working with, or in conjunction with, British Airways must realise that the world does not have to travel with their airline.