REOPENING OF EMPIRE AIRWAY?

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21208, 3 September 1940, Page 4

REOPENING OF EMPIRE AIRWAY?

One of the minor hardships of the war has been the interruption of ithe long-awaited air mail service between Britain and New Zealand. The service had to be abandoned in the meantime because the route passed over hostile territory or territory and sea made dangerous by war operations. Now in an unexpected way the possibility has been opened of operating an Empire service through Central Africa, which, though covering a considerably greater mileage than the original route, would still be the means of saving much time when compared with the sea service.

The decision of French Equatorial Africa to break away from Nazi-dominated France and continue the alliance with Britain has made available to the Allies a broad band of territory across the middle of the continent. Thus it is believed to be possible to organise an air service from the west to the east or north coast of Africa and thence on to Australia and New Zealand. The present plan is for a ■oute passing through Lisbon, Lagos (Nigeria), Khartoum, Cairo and Karachi, and thence by the former route. The Lisbon-Lagos section will require the use of flying-boats which are not yet available, so that it may be some time before the new service can be inaugurated. The reopening of the service is not of interest to the British Empire alone. With the inauguration of the Pan American service from San Francisco to New Zealand the United States acquired a real interest in the Empire route, for each is complementary to the other. Both passengers and mails would have benefited considerably by the connection at Auckland. Another important aspect of the scheme is the effect it will have on the development of communications between Western and Central Africa and Cairo. Before the war is over that connection may prove to be exceedingly useful to the Allies. With its short experience of the speedier mails from Britain, New Zealand would warmly welcome the reopening of the service, especially now that the trans-Tasman air-link is operating efficiently.