AIR ROUTE TO INDIA.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 31 October 1928, Page 11

AIR ROUTE TO INDIA.

MAIN STAGES' ALLOCATED. JOURNEY COMPLETED IN SEVEN DAYS. 'United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph Copyright.) (“Times” Cables.) Received 1.40 p.m. to-dav. LONDON, Oati 30. The main stages of the new 5000 miles air route from England to India hay© been settled." The Imperial Airways surrey party, under Flight-Lieut. B. Cross, 'formerly of the Air Ministry, and a flying-boot expert, who has-been appointed Mediterranean manager, is leaving; immediately to 'locate the intermediate bases. Air passengers from' London will take an aeroplane to Basle, thence by night express"through the Alps to Gienoa, which will be reached in 24 hours. Hero they embark on the short Oai’ioutta type of flying-boat for a two and a half days’ journey to Alexandria, calling at Rome, Naples and certain Greek islands, and probably Gallipoli, thence to Crete, Tahrah and fallowing the poast to Alexandria, where the E!gyption Government is building a combined marine, land and air port. Hepe the passengers w.i.1,1 connect with the existing trans-desert section, reaching Basra in a day and Karacihi in two and' a half days, totalling seven from London. It is expected that the time will be considerably shortened soon after the service comes into operation in April, ft is assumed' that the Imperial Airway ey, in the near future, w.if.'l extend the Middle East route to Singapore, where it will branch ■ into Australian, Chinese and Japanese sections.