Amber One corridor.
After the fall of South Vietnam in 1975 foreign airlines flights over Vietnam were forbidden whereas previously the majorities of flights between Europe and part of Asia on the West and Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan and Japan on the East, were directed to Bangkok , then flying over Pakse in Laos, Danang in Vietnam, the Paracels Islands and then keeping off and around Hainan, China. That road is known as Amber One Corridor.
The fact of flying around Vietnam south of the Camau Headland was costing a fortune to the airlines involved. IATA and the concerned airlines approached the Vietnamese authorities and when an agreement came in sight the parties called for a conference to be held in Vientiane in February 1978. The participants were Hammarskjold for IATA, myself for SITA, the Representatives of the Civil Aviation Authorities of Hong Kong, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. Following the Far Eastern custom, the conference was called once an agreement had practically be reached, although a tough bargaining was still expected about the charges to be made for each flight over Laos and Vietnam. The airlines were ready to make a certain effort to save an hour or more per flight but they did not want to create a precedent to be observed by other countries.
I know nothing more depressing than the sight of a city just “liberated” by communist forces. All political considerations being kept away the reason is quite simple. After a natural catastrophe such as earthquake or floods the survivals are searching for more survivals, for food, help is coming and life comes back. After a town’s liberation local people stay home and wait since there is nothing else to do. What can be saddest than empty streets, lifeless houses, shop-windows made opaque by cardboard or plywood to avoid any temptation of looting, gas stations enclosed with barbed wires and guarded by sentries, abandoned cars with empty tanks, no trade as notes have no value without a purchase-ticket. The army not being directly involved in civilian matters does not move either. The whole city is waiting orders from the top. I have been a few times the witness of such events and I do not know a saddest urban sight, even more so that it is not a matter of a few days but sometimes of some years before the city may return to a more usual and lively aspect.
Vientiane was still in a semi-lethargic mood when the conference was being held. The meeting was going well and in the evening we were invited for a meal. Fortunately, either by choice or need, it was not an official banquet. A small inn previously managed by a Corsican man, had been opened. Everyone was feeling comfortable and the rather warm indoor environment was in deep contrast with the gloomy and depressing atmosphere of the city. The British Delegate was enjoying a plate of foie gras under a painting of Napoleon Bonaparte, the one of Thailand was chatting mi-Thai, mi-Lao, with a Laotian official, the Vietnamese representatives appeared happy to enjoy a break with their daily diet as the North Vietnamese cuisine was not at its best just after the war.
A Vietnamese officer handed to me a list of radio equipment and told me: “This is what we have on hands at Tan Son Nhat (SGN AP), is it suitable for our project ?” It concerned mostly some equipment provided by US Aid to the South Vietnam CAA after the departure of the French administration. My answer was positive and I added that Saigon CAA people were quite familiar with it. He hesitated for a couple of seconds and said: “Yes, I know but I am checking with you since I trust you”.
The conference re-opened the next day and ended with an agreement between all parties. If I remember it correctly the charges were established at UD$2,000 per over flight, of which one quarter was to be allocated to Laos.
The same evening Hammarskjold and myself were leaving Vientiane for Bangkok on board the private jet of the Philippine Airlines’ CEO and we were accommodated at the KLM Guest House.
The next morning I received a message from Léger, the Air France manager for Laos. He was an old friend from the ‘60s and was based at Vientiane waiting from the Vietnamese authorities a residential permit before moving to Hanoi. Léger was telling me: “I know you well landed at Bangkok but you are lucky: last night your plane took off from the taxi-way instead of the main runway. By chance there were no obstacle at the end !”.

Bernard Leroy