EMPIRE AIR ROUTES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 291, 6 November 1934, Page 7

EMPIRE AIR ROUTES

EXTENSION WITH SAFETY

IMPERIAL AIRWAYS POLICY,

NEW JOHANNESBURG SERVICE.

(United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Received November 6, 11.10 a.m. LONDON, Nov. 5.

Sir Eric Geddes, speaking at the Imperial Airways general meeting, said no commercial service could base its plans upon a racing event like the Centenary Air Race. Imperial Airways had for many months planned a 7J-day service along the route and were not going to be frightened off their policy of steady and efficient progress by any fine air race, however remarkable it may be. Sir Eric Geddes announced that the line is immediately inaugurating a biweekly service from London to Johannesburg, and considering a bi-weekly service to Singapore. The board is thus far unable to find a way of increasing speed without considerably increasing the cost, which the postal administrators have been hitherto unwilling to meet. . , .

The board considers it is most important to provide the highest standards of regularity and safety while keeping the fares and mail rates as low as possible, hoping eventually to become independent of subsidies. “Ihis is impossible if others insist on a mad race in subsidised air travel. We are prepared, however, to operate any services our clients wish to pay _for. The American Post Office loses £4,500,000 annually on fast air mail services, despite the fact that fuel in America costs one-third less than in the Empire, ” Sir Eric observed.

OCEANIC AIR SERVICES

ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC ROUTES

NO LONGER A DREAM

PARIS, Nov. 4. M. Louis Bleriot told the Daily Mail’s special correspondent that a twice-daiy transatlantic _ air service, bringing London and Paris within 18 hours of New York, was being inaugurated within a year. M. Bleriot prouuced plans of floating aerodromes which it is proposed to anchor in a chain across the ocean, each consisting of a landing platform 500 yards long, under which will be an hotel and restaurant, and accommodation tor garaging and refuelling ’planes, and spare parts. Submarine propellors will enable the floating aerodrome to be kept facing the wind, facilitating landing. M. Bleriot says that the_ United States War Department is backing the scheme. He wishes to commence with a transpacific air mail passenger service, after which he will operate an Atlantic one. It is estimated that the transatlantic service will carry 80 passengers daily in the first year. The fare will be £BO, of which £l3 will be paid to the Seadrome Ocean Dock Corporation, which is supplying and maintaining the floating aerodromes. Britain and France are reported to be willing to co-operate in the placing of aerodromes in the Atlantic, and Canada and Japan have been approached to support those in the Pacific.