Commission continues action against travel companies
Published07 Oct 1994
Commerce Commission action against Auckland companies Tasman Charter Flights Ltd and Air Australia Worldwide Marketing Ltd continued in the Auckland High Court today.
On Monday the Commission gained temporary injunctions stopping the companies advertising cheap airfares to the public. The Court also appointed an accountant to control the companies' money and bank accounts.
Today the Court set a timetable for the further steps necessary before permanent injunctions can be imposed.
Statements of defence must be filed by October 19, lists of documents must be filed by October 28 and all parties must inspect the documents by November 4.
The companies trade as Surplus Travel and Frequent Flyers Club. The injunctions, under the Fair Trading Act, also apply to promoter Michael Knight, company directors Matthew Howden and Tatjana Mijaljica, and 11 other people who work for the company.
The Commission argued the companies had made no arrangements to provide the cheap airfares and accommodation advertised. Customers were not informed of conditions so restrictive that most could not comply with them and were misled that they could not get refunds.
Media contact:Vince Cholewa, Communications Officer
