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Hokitika Guardian, 25 February 1926, Page 2

Some interesting particulars of commercial aviation are given in a recent ■London publication which indicates the advance being made in air services in the Old World for the advancement of commercial interests generally. The paper remarks that now that the directors of the Imperial Airways, Limited, are devoting themselves to the task of increasing the revenue-earning capacity of the undertaking, both by reducing the costs of maintenance and by the development of air services, great hopes are entertained for the future. Already maiiked progress lias been made since the four original companies were amalgamated into one organisation. During the past year tiie London-Paris service was fully maintained, and in the months of intense traffic three, and sometimes four, flights a day wena made in each direction, while an experimental extension every other day to Basle and Zltrh li proved so satisfactory that a daily .service was suh.scqitently Jlown. The London-Ostend-Unussels-Cologne service was well patronized, and was duplicated throughout the summer, and the London to Berlin service. calling at Amsterdam and Hanover, was started in .7unc. and connected at Amsterdam with air lines to Scandinavia and certain large towns in Germany. No fewer than .11.000 passengers and (iliO tons of goods and mail were carried by the European services during the year, and over 825,000 miles were flown. At tin* recent annual meeting of the company, the Chairman. Sir Eric Geddes, emphasised the particular advantage of long distance living and pointed out that the speed advantage of air travel oil the long routes was measured in days instead of hours. In view of this tlie directors are looking further afield, and an agreement has now been made with the Air Ministry for the maintenance of an air service between Egypt and India, the termini being at or near Cairo and at Karachi. India. The distance i. s appproxiinahelv 2,.">00 miles, and as a result of the service India will lie brought, nearer England by live days, with a possible saving of ten days in the time taken by a return letter. Wlieu the route is equipped for night Hying, (lie saving of time will be increased. II is confidently anticipated that the first aeroplane will leave Cairo lor India, not later Ilian .1 unitary Ist 11)27. It i> interesting to know, that, apart from a large number of passengers, quite an interesting variety of traffic is now finding its way on to the air routes. This includes manufacturers’ Isa tuples, perishable goods and high-grade luxury food, in-terest-bearing documents, and fragile and breakable articles of value. Handling is reduced to a minimum and Customs delays tiro obviated, while the negligible risk of loss and pilferage atI ract-s jewellery, precious stones, furs and similar valuable articles. During the past year, the Imperial Airways. Limited, have also carried many million pounds of bullion on the air routes which they operate.