Leave Airlines Alone Politicians

Leave us alone: Airlines
www.sun.com.fj - Last updated 5/25/2008

Regional aviation heads are concerned about government interference in airline operations.
The Association of South Pacific Airlines secretary George Faktaufon said governments should just appoint the right people to management positions and let them run the airline.
Mr Faktaufon said government interference with Air Pacific in the 1960s had been near fatal as it proved to be a major failure.
Earlier in the week a cabinet task force was appointed to look into the operations and services of Air Pacific.
The four-member team comprises Civil Aviation Minister Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, Public Enterprises Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyyum, Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry and Tourism Minister Tom Ricketts.
It has been stated that the cabinet task force will look into staff grievances relating to the airline’s recruitment, training, promotions and delays to flight operations caused by mechanical problems to its ageing fleet of aircraft.
Over the past months Air Pacific aircraft have experienced mechanical problems and passengers faced difficulties as their flights were delayed.
Air Pacific chief executive officer John Campbell could not be reached for a comment on this issue.