Fair Fares?

In Manhattan the International Air Transport Association last week ended ten days of wrangling over temporary new minimum fares on North Atlantic air routes. It might have saved itself the trouble. The new rates, which must be approved by the U.S., British, Canadian and Swedish Governments, were only a smitch under the old high rates.

The New York-to-London fare would come down to $360 from $375, one-way fares to Stockholm would drop to $455 from $495. The new fares were based on a rate of about 10.4-c- a mile v. 4.5-c- on domestic U.S. routes, although Pan American Airways has publicly (and other airlines privately) called the rate too high.

At the Bermuda air conference the U.S. had agreed to let I.A.T.A. set rates (TIME, Feb. 11). In doing so, the U.S. had dubiously swallowed fears that this might cartelize world airlines on a high-fare basis. So I.A.T.A.'s first fare-fixing was not reassuring. In June, when it meets again, it will try to set permanent rates based on actual operating costs.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.