SUCCESSFUL AIR LINE

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21290, 9 October 1934, Page 12

SUCCESSFUL AIR LINE

+ SERVICE TO CHANNEL ISLANDS HUNDREDS OF PASSENGERS A WEEK iFKO.'J our; !'»■* ciirt:: - :s!'uMj[:Ni .. LONDON. September 5. Perhaps the most successful air line operated this year within the British Isles is that bolwem Lcndan. Portsmouth and the Cha .nel Ts'ands. which is worked by Jersey Airways. In less than seven months the company's aeroplanes have carried move than 7000 passengers; with'n the past few weeks the number has increased to nearly 1000 a week. On August 4 20G passengers took thr> airway; over the Bank Holiday week-end from Friday U' Mondav (both day inclusive) the traffic total was 72" na^engers. Mr W. L. Thurgood. managing director, d'ebrcs that many more could have been carried had Jersey Airways larger aeroplanes in commission. Their nresent flret of ei<?ht dc Havilland Dragons has been filled to capacity, and hundreds have b' en turned away. He plans, therefore, to acquire four-eneined D.H. 86 machines fitted to carry 14 passengers, which is twice the capacity of the Dragon.

He will also ensure a larger security reserve for the crossirg of 70 miles of sea between Jersey and England. The twin-cnpined D: s have given not the slightest cause for anxiety, but four-engined craft are obviously betted suited to such work. Som? of the larger machir.es wtil probably be in service before the end of the year. Including the ground journey between London and Hcston airport, the schedu'ed lime of the trip by Jersey Airways between London and the island is considerably less than thr<"e hours. The fastest boat and train connexion takes 12 hours. Here is ample inducement to take the air trip, which is also more comfortable and not so troublesome. Up to the present the machines have used the foreshore of St. Aubin's Bay as an- aerodrome, but plans are going through rapidly for the establishment of an airport which will have its own hangars and administrative buildings. The result should be mucn gain in efficiency and an intensification of the service, helped probably by conclusion of a contract with the Post Office for the carriage of mails to and from the mainland.