ANOTHER "BATTLE OF BRITAIN" FORECAST
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A N interesting application has
been made to the Air Transport Licensing Board by Cunard Eagle Airways Ltd., to vary certain licences held by British European Airways by restricting passenger capacity for the period 1963/41965/6 in respect of air services between London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Perhaps it is just as well that we do not see similar applications being made to Traffic Commissioners in respect of road-service licences. One can imagine the kind of battle that would ensue if, say, one of the numerous excursion and tours operators in the North East applied to the Northern Commissioners to vary the licences of either the United Automobile Services or the Northern General Transport Co., by restricting the number of passengers they carried between that part of the country and, say, London or the West Country.
Cunard Eagle, in the same issue of Air Licensing Notices (the equivalent of "Notices and Proceedings "), has applied for licences to operate passenger, cargo and mail services "between Glasgow and/or Edinburgh to Liverpool and/or Birmingham and/or Coventry and/or Manchester," and also between London and Liverpool and Manchester for a seven-year period commencing in November, 1963. As 1 forecast in these columns two years ago the "air versus surface" battle is well and truly engaged, although, taking a long look at the first-mentioned application, it looks as if the air " bandits " are already lighting over their spoils!