Airline's Success in Appeal Would "Shut Door to Surface Operators
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THE Managing Director of Cunard Eagle Airways, 'Mr. H. R. Bamberg, told I the Ministry of Aviation's Inspector last week that he thought the aim of every airline operator was to divert as much traffic as possible from road and rail to air—up to a point He was being cross-examined by Mr. R. C. Oswald, appearing for the British Transport Commission, Scottish Omnibuses, and Western S.M.T., who, with British European Airways, are appealing to the Minister of Aviation against grants made to Cunard Eagle by the Air Transport Licensing Board concerning air services between London and Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dublin.
As exclusively reported in The Commercial MOtor of April 13, the surface operators are appealing against the Air Board's attitude towards their objections.
Criticizing the Air Board, Mr. Oswald said that at the public hearing last November, when Canard Eagle made their application, the views of surface .operators appeared to have met with a singular lack of success. The Board were concerned with the development of British civil aviation, and that development meant a certain diversion of traffic from the roads and .rail.
Objection "Set Aside" "The Board are saying 'You have the right to come along and object, but as a matter of law we must set aside your objection.'" he continued.
Mr. Oswald . questioned what the function of the Board, and subsequently the Minister of Aviation on appeal was, when adjudicating between the conflict of interests of airline and surface operators,
He. added: • "it would seem that the inference to be drawn, whenever there is a conflict of interests between the two, is that the air operator must succeed, whatever the facilities the Surface operator provides and whatever the effect of a grant of an air licence may have on the surface operator.
"It makes one feel like the District Attorney in a Perry Mason film—he never wins."
He considered that their duty was to ascertain the existing and future demand for air traffic and to weigh the evidence in the public interest and give attention to traffic.which was going perfectly satisfactorily by surface means. Wherever there was conflict of interest, they should see where the public interest lay.. After evidence had been given of the need for better air services between London and Scotland, Mr. Bamberg, of Cunard Eagle, was called on behalf of the respondents.
Closely questioned by Mr. Oswald, Mr. Bamberg agreed that if Cunard Eagle's counter appeal against the Board's limitation of flights on .dorriestic routes succeeded, it would "shut the door" to any objection that other operators, both air and surface, might wish to lodge. Cunard Eagle would be able to add extra flights whenever they wished without having to apply to the Board.
Mr. Bamberg replied that if the demand waS there, "I. think we should be there to supply it."
The appeals, which commenced on April 9, are expected to go on until the end of the month.
DONCASTER'S £16,692 ORDER
AQUOTATION by Transport Vehicles (Daimler), Ltd., for.the supnly of six motorbus chassis at £2,782 each has been accepted by Doncaster Corporation Transport Committee.
WAGES INCREASE WAGE increases were agreed last week VV for the National Union of Vehicle Builders and the Amalgamated Society of Woodcutting Machinists: The following are the agreed increases in minimum rates: skilled, 2d. per hour; semi-skilled, lid., and unskilled. 1-1-d. The increases became effective last Monday.