rant for holiday 'package deals'
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OAD transport services to and from
• airports, with the cost included in ckage deal" holidays. were "completely Al" unless covered by road service -ices, said Mr. L. A. Wells, chairman of Scottish Traffic Commissioners, sitting 'erth last week.
'he Commissioners granted a licence to Ids (Coaches) Ltd., Troon, for an express ch service between Dundee and Prestk Airport, with picking-up points at Perth Stirling. The services are to be in con:tion with inclusive continental air holis. organized by a consortium comprisThomas Cook and Son Ltd.. Donaldson Services and Wallace Arnold Tours Ltd. Rijections were lodged by W. Alexander Sons (Northern) Ltd.. W. Alexander and is (Midland) Ltd.. and Western SMT Co. . An objection by Watsons Tours indee) Ltd. was withdrawn midway )ugh the hearing.
Ir. William Dodds, managing director the applicant firm, said there was an nent of doubt as to whether a licence ; necessary or not, and it was thought ter to be on the safe side and ask for a nce rather than risk operating without L Mr. Wells commented: "In my view you absolutely right."
t was claimed by Mr. Dodds that his was unique in being able to supply stwick Airport with coaches at almost hour of the day. Difliculties with planes rig late mainly arose on the return flights to Prestwick and because -of his close geographical position he was able to cope with these delays and arrange coaches almost at any time.
Mr. William J. King, licensing assistant with Wallace Arnold Tours, said they con sidered that because of the unpredictability of the aircraft landing times, it was better to have a coach ready at Prestwick rather than one at the other end of the journey.
For the objectors, Mr. R. Farrell contended that the applicants were in the position of newcomers to the district who could not say that the existing operators were not ready, willing, and able to do the work. The rights of the existing operators should be taken as of paramount importance in this district, where there were so many unremunerative services in the rural northern area to be eked out somehow.
It was not for Dodds, he said, to come in at the time of the cream holiday traffic and skim that cream away.
Mr. Wells, giving the decision, said it had been ratified by various Ministers that where new traffic was originating, the people who should be first considered were the existing operators.
Although they did their best to safeguard existing operators. especially where as in this case, they were providing a large number of unremunerative services,. there was a difference in this case, where the new traffic offered was very similar to that on contract work.