TASMAN AIR SERVICES

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27709, 13 July 1955, Page 6

TASMAN AIR SERVICES

PASSENGER LOADING INCREASED

FIGURES FOR 1954 55

Passenger loadings on Tasman Empire Airways’ services to Melbourne for the year ended June 29, 1955, were higher by 300 than in the previous year, said Mr F. G. Hill, station manager in Christchurch for the airline.

June 29 is a significant date in the airline’s service to Christchurch. On that day the first once-weekly flights to and from Melbourne with DC-4 airliners chartered from Qantas Empire Airways began in 1951; and on June 29, 1954, the first DC-6 landed at the Christchurch airport and the triweekly services to Melbourne and Sydney began.

In spite of the increased frequency of services caused by the introduction of the two weekly ChristchurchSydney .services, the number of passengers carried on flights to Melbourne had increased by 300. Mr Hill said. Loadings on both Sydney and Melbourne services had remained consistently even, with the result that almost exactly double the number of passengers travelled on the twiceweekly flights to Sydney as did on the once-weekly flight to Melbourne. In the cargo holds of the airliners operating the Christchurch services more than 250,0001 b of freight had been carried, he said. The introduction of three services a week had considerably increased the amount of overseas air cargo handled at Harewood.