TRANS-PACIFIC AIRLINE

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25734, 21 February 1949, Page 3

TRANS-PACIFIC AIRLINE

SLEEPER PLANES TO BE USED (Special Correspondent NJZP.A.) VANCOUVER. February 10. Sleeper areoplanes are beginning a regul-i- service across the Pacific from Vancouver to Sydney and Auckland. They are new Douglas DC6’s, pressurised cabin aircraft which British commonwealth Pacific Airlines is introducing for its luxury service betv/een the west coast of North America and the Antipodes. The first of the new aircraft arrived at Vancouver from Sydney with a party of Australian journalists aboard on Thursday evenin* and it will leave on the initial flight to Auckland with two New Zealand newspaper representatives included in the passenger list, on Friday afternoon. The DC6’s are slightly larger than the Skymaster DC4*B. which have been maintaining the service uo to the present They are also faster, and during the trip from Vancouver to Auckland it is hoped to reduce the flying schedule by several hours. One of the greatest advances in the new aircraft is the provision of bunks where travellers may rest in comfort during the flight. Another ir the fact that they are equipped with pressurised cabins, enabling them to fly at greater heights without inconvenience to the passengers or crew. British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines maintain a weeklv service between Auckland and Vancouver and a bi-weekly service between Sydney and Vancouver. On the first flight to Auckland the DC6 will leave Vancouver at 4755 p-.m. on Friday, arriving at Auckland at 3.35 p.m. on Monday.