§ Mr. Onslowasked the Secretary of State for Trade what discussions on air services matters his Department has recently had with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics; and what was the outcome.
§ Mr. TebbitDelegations from the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union completed a review of the bilateral air services arrangements on 22 October. The result is a more balanced agreement under which the designated airlines of the two countries will operate equivalent capacity between London and Moscow related to the needs of the travelling public on that route. This has been set at four flights a week each; there is provision for the airlines to agree increases if justified. At present British Airways and Aeroflot operate five and nine services a week respectively on the route. The agreement also provides for one service a week each between London and Leningrad.
Aeroflot is entitled to continue to extend two of its London-Moscow services to Tokyo but British Airways does not wish to do so beyond 31 October. The new arrangements however give British Airways the right to introduce a Boeing 747 service to Tokyo on the trans-Siberian route at a time of its choosing. Aeroflot would then be allowed to increase its capacity between London and Moscow to retain equality with British Airways.