asked the Minister for Transport and Power whether he has refused an application by a New York tour operator to land a series of charter flights into Ireland in 1972; and, if so, why.
9.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Charter Flights.
8.
Mr. O'Donnell
asked the Minister for Transport and Power if his attention has been drawn to a statement (details supplied) to the effect that because of lack of co-operation from the Irish Government this country will lose up to 20,000 prospective tourists from the United States this summer; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 9 together.
I would refer the Deputies to my press release of the 10th April in this matter, copies of which are available in the Library.
Both the US and European Governments have become increasingly concerned with the operation of illegal charter traffic on the North Atlantic which poses a growing threat to the airlines who operate regular year-round scheduled services. Both US and European regulations require that charter flights be confined to genuine affinity groups having a principal purpose other than travel and to persons who have been members of such groups for at least six months. We are parties to a general agreement to this effect between European aeronautical administrations.
It is my policy to authorise bona fide affinity charter flights to and from the US which are on routes not served by the scheduled airlines including Aerlínte or on such routes where the scheduled airlines cannot provide the necessary capacity. I am satisfied that the scheduled airlines can provide adequate capacity for all bona fide traffic offering in the present year from New York to Shannon.
I am not satisfied that the traffic for which application has been made in this case is either bona fide affinity charter traffic or traffic surplus to what the scheduled airlines can provide charter capacity for. The airline in question has already been refused permission for flights by the UK authorities on grounds of irregularities; their operations in the US have been made subject to strict conditions and it is not clear in fact that the flights in question will be authorised by the US authorities.
In the case of a number of the groups for which application has been made, permission for charter flights to Britain has already been refused by the British authorities. In the light of all the information available to me it appears that these operations providing for flights from US to Shannon and onward to other destinations are designed to circumvent the regulatory provisions of other European countries to whom we have a reciprocal commitment to apply the same general regulations. It is far from self-evident that charter passengers booked on cut-price flights to European destinations would be wiling or able to spend any significant period in Ireland.
To permit such flights freely would undermine scheduled operations on the Atlantic generally, would directly damage Aerlínte and would be contrary to our commitments to other European Governments
In all the circumstances, I do not propose to authorise any of these flights unless it can be shown that they are bona fide affinity charter traffic not catered for by the scheduled operators and committed to stay for significant periods in this country.