SHOPPING BY AIR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 January 1939, Page 9

SHOPPING BY AIR

INCREASED USE OF FLYING CRAFT. Recent reports from Africa and elsewhere are emphasising one interesting aspect of present-day air travel. This is the growing use of airliners and taxi plan c.s for all sorts of personal and purely private trips, such as flights to attend weddings and family reunions, or shopping excursions from outlying areas to the nearest cities or centres of supply. Two facts, it is explained, are now encouraging an increasing use of aircraft for shopping excursions, and for more or less impromptu flights of a personal nature. One is the growing frequency of service now provided on main Imperial routes. The other is the improved organisation now becoming available in many areas for the hiring of special-charter taxiplanes, and the increase in the number of landinggrounds which can be used by such aircraft. Specially important, of course, in encouraging intermediate traffic on trunk routes, is the improved frequency of service now provided. This means that anyone can fly in from an aut-station for a shopping trip in some suitable centre and, without any unnecessary delay, catch a return 'plane for a homeward trip. Mentioned in reports from Africa, India, and other territories, is the growing habit, among business men and private folk, of chartering taxiplanes for special flights of all kinds; and this, in its turn, is now encouraging plans for the establishment of further alighting-grounds in many areas where such facilities are not yet available.