TASMAN BY AIR

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 118, 21 May 1941, Page 5

TASMAN BY AIR

RECORD OF SUCCESS

Figures for the year ended March 31 show that New Zealand and Australia have good cause to be proud of the record achieved by Tasman Empire Airways. Of 134 trips scheduled 130 were completed—97.ol per cent, of the possible—an exceptionally high proportion for ocean crossings. Generally 90 per cent, would be considered excellent for such passages in a period of twelve-months.

~ All the trips were made : by the Aotearoa and Awarua, which 1 carried a total of 1461 passengers (an average of over eleven per trip). The hours flown amounted to 1180.48, an average of 9.08 hours per trip. The quickest flight was 6 hours 57 minutes on March 23. The aggregate of miles flown was 174,200, computed'on the air-line distance of 1340 statute miles ' between Auckland and Sydney..

The baggage allowance for passengers is 441b each. Some took more and others less. The total of ordinary baggage was 33,8171b and; excess baggage was 6139.

Mails totalled 77,5711b, an average of nearly 5971b. per trip. • The-mail ton-miles were given as 46,402— equivalent to the carrying of one ton 46,402 miles. ,

Freight accounted for 14,4481b, an average of a little over. 1111b per trip. The' freight ton-miles were. 8644.

The success of the Trans-Tasman Service is shown in many letters of appreciation received from passengers. A frequent tribute is that-the experience of a flight has exceeded the expectation of comfort.