HC Deb 30 June 1977 vol 934 cc294-5W
Mr. Trotter

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether, under the new air service agreement, a US carrier will be able to operate non-stop between Dallas/Forth Worth and London, but the United Kingdom carrier on this route will be required to make a stop en route; and, if so, why there is this difference, and why he agreed to the arrangement.

Mr. Dell

The new routes to Texas and Georgia are too thin to justify nonstop services by more than one carrier at the start. It has therefore been agreed that for a three-year period British Caledonian Airways will operate solo on the Houston route, while a United States of America carrier or carriers will operate solo on the Atlanta and Dallas routes. The imbalance that this will create is offset by deferring for three years the start of operations on an additional United States of America gateway point, whereas our additional point—Manchester—will be available immediately.

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