RECORD BUSINESS FOR AIRLINE

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27564, 22 January 1955, Page 2

RECORD BUSINESS FOR AIRLINE

TRAFFIC INCREASES AND TECHNICAL ADVANCES

A record annual volume of business was handled by Pan American World Airways in 1954, said the president of the airline (Mr Juan T. Trippe) recently in a report on the year s business. a “Gross volume, including mail payments, will be aproximately £80,700,000, compared with £77,800,000 in 1953. Total passenger revenue again showed a substantial increase—9 per cent., with the Rainbow service tourist revenue leading the way,” he said. “Cargo revenue increased by about 14 per cent, for the company as a whole. Across the Atlantic the increase was 25 per cent. The maximum potential of the cargo market, however, was not realised. During recent years, the trans-Atlantic carriers, and certain interested governments, have continued to hold divergent concerning the extent to which, if any, air cargo rate reductions should be made available to. shippers. “We are hopeful that all concerned will be soon able to reconcile their differing views, and that major cargo tariff reductions will become effective in the spring of 1955. Thus, Pan American World Airways , expects to be operating daily all-cargo flights across the Atlantic before the end of 1955,” said Mr Trippe. “We are actively studying the large, fast turbo-prop cargo aircraft now being designed to meet the requirements of the national defence. When these become available over the next few years, they will provide still better and cheaper clipper cargo service to shippers. In addition, such service, which can be provided only by commercial airlines with long experience on world air routes, will make an important contribution to national defence.”

During 1954, Pan American substantially expanded its trunk-line passenger service across the North Atlantic, to South America, to Alaska, Hawaii, the Orient, and around the world.

The company inaugurated a pay later plan, the first instalment-purchase facility offered the public on a uniform, nation-wide basis by any major transport company. In the first half of 1955, Pan American will place in service seven Douglas DC-7B aircraft, which will be the fastest trans-ocean transports in commercial use.