Victory for Movies

Movies are in the air to stay. Last week the Civil Aeronautics Board re jected a proposal by the International Air Transport Association to ban mov ies on all international flights. I.A.T.A.'s proposed ban was not in the public in terest, said the CAB; not only that, but it might subject participating U.S. air lines to antitrust action by the Justice Department, which last month angrily criticized I.A.T.A. for its "methodical elimination of all forms of competition in international air travel."

The CAB thus shot down efforts by foreign carriers to get rid of in-flight films, which TWA pioneered in 1961 As a result, TWA, plus Pakistan Inter national and Philippine airlines, which have also inaugurated movies, will keep the screens lit. A few other foreign lines may also introduce flicks, and Pan American has announced that it will equip its international flights with movies "as speedily as possible" to compete with TWA.

Most of the foreign carriers are still convinced that movie benefits do not match their costs, will try to compete in other ways. Some U.S. airlines expect them to offer fancier food, free champagne and theater tickets. Had the I.A.T.A. ban been approved, U.S. domestic carriers, four of which now have movies and music, might well have gone along. As things now stand, they will almost certainly continue showing films in flight.

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