BUSIEST AIRPORT

Grey River Argus, 8 January 1941, Page 9

BUSIEST AIRPORT

Rongotai Traffic WELLINGTON, January 7. Though the transfer of the Cook Strait aeroplanes from civil to the Air Force, for training purposes, and the virtual cessation of aero club activities have reduced daily coming anj goings at Rongot_ai' ’drome, it stiil remains the Dominion’s busiest airport. During the fortnight from December 20 to January 2, covering the main travelling days, over 1400 people left or arrived; 699 inward and 742 outward, being a decrease of 67 travellers on the corresponding fortnight a Y ear a S°Mail carriage has been heavy, averaging 1300 lb. a week on the Union Airways’ Main Trunk service, and going up to 2,0001 b. for the week just before Christmas and 400 lb. with the Christmas peak and 500 lb. on the Cook Strait service. The Tasman Empire air service is thoroughly busy, and from bookings already received by Union Airways it appears that the “Aotearoa” and “Awarua” will be about fully booked up till the end of February, both to' and from Sydney. Mail carriage is very heavy, too, outward Christmas mails for men in Egypt and 1° Australian addresses going as high as 1500 lb. Passengers by the PanAmerican Clipper and the mail brought across the Pacific from Britain, Canada and the United States have contributed to the still growing Tasman air traffic which already is higher than expectations, based upon peace conditions, with Empire services running direct from India, and the Near East, to Europe and Britain.