Air Hostess On Flying-Boats

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32219, 11 February 1970, Page 2

Air Hostess On Flying-Boats

An air hostess who flies on one of the world’s few remaining flying-boat passengers services is visiting Christchurch. She is Miss Merylyn Bowman, senior check and training hostess of Airlines of New South Wales, who makes regular flights from Sydney to Lord Howe Island.

“I still get a thrill out of taking off from water and landing on it,” Miss Bowman said yesterday. The Sunderland flying-boat service is the only direct means of transport to the island. Because of a coral reef, ships cannot come close to the shore and there is no airstrip yet Flying-boats land on a lagoon. “One of our original flyingboats broke its moorings and was lost some time ago, and it was replaced by an R.N.Z.A.F. craft ‘taken out of mothballs’ and made air worthy,” she said. “Flying-boats are becoming almost extinct. I understand, however, that they are still used in the Virgin Islands and across parts of the Mediterranean.” On the Sydney to Lord Howe Island shuttle service, flying-boats, which accommodate 43 passengers, will be used until an air-strip is built on the island. Then ordinary aircraft will take over. Miss Bowman’s duties are not limited to flying-boats. She fles over most of the state of New South Wales, mainly in Friendships. ON EXCHANGE She is in New Zealand for 18 days on exchange with Miss Naomi Rowntree, a check hostess of National Airways Corporation, now with the New South Wales airline for the same period. While in New Zealand Miss Bowman travels on N.A.C. main trunk flights as an observer. Her job is to talk to passengers about travel in Australia, particularly in her home state. She has been fascinated to find how many American tourists inquire about buying kangaroo fur I coats in Australia. On duty in New Zealand I she wears her airline’s dis- i tinctive uniform of a white, I A-line cotton gaberdine shift I dress and a brown wool coat. < Her trim white bowler hat is edged with brown. j MANY RECIPES < Since joining the airline I more than six years ago, Miss i Bowman has travelled exten- I sively in Europe, Britain and 1

Eastern countries. This is her first visit to New Zealand. Wherever she goes, the young gourmet cook collects recipes. Yesterday morning Miss Bowman was entertained at a reception at the Sign of the Takahe by Mrs J. E. Davies, wife of the regional manager of N.A.C. Guests included N.A.C. and hostesses and wives of airline and tourism representatives. Miss Bowman gave a short' talk on her company’s routes of interest to tourists.