"MERCHANT SERVICE OF THE AIR"

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXX, Issue 13624, 23 April 1942, Page 6

"MERCHANT SERVICE OF THE AIR"

KEEPING OPEN COMMUNICATIONS MILLIONS OF MILES COVERED A cable message received by the Associated Chambers of Commerce of New Zealand from the Federation of Chambers of Commerce of the British Empire reads as follows: Air transport—"the merchant service of the air," as "The Times" aeronautical correspondent has called it —plays a big part in maintaining speedy contact with many different fronts or potential fronts, but not very much has been heard up to now of the pilots and air crews who fly these unarmed planes in order to keep open our communications. The Under-Secretary for Air recently revealed in Parliament, however, that last year such aircraft flew 5,500,000 miles, and in 1942 would cover S,O 0 0,0 0 0 miles. British Airways operate some 40,00 0 route miles, carrying as passengers statesmen, ambassador, officials and others on urgent missions, as well as "airgraphs" to the Middle East, air mail, and urgent freight. It is obvious that considerable ground staffs are necessary in these circumstances, and in this sphere women are taking an increasing share of the work. Women are also being more and more employed in factories where R.A.F. and civil aircraft engines are overhauled and repaired.