Air Travel Of Tomorrow

Northern Advocate, 16 July 1938, Page 11

Air Travel Of Tomorrow

(Received 2.30 p.m.) LONDON, July 15. Inter-Continental Airways sprang a welcome surprise on the Australian guests at a party at Dorchester Hotel to celebrate the arrival of the first Dutch air service plane from Australia by distributing copies of Australian newspapers recording the arrival of the British and Dutch planes at Sydney.

Another surprise was the appearance of Eddie Cantor, film, comedian, who hopes to go to Australia in 1940, and who was delighted with his first glimpse of Australia. Mr Albert Plesman, the Dutch official, welcoming the guests, who included Sir Earle Page and other trade delegates, Mr Gibson, Mayor of Fremantle, and other prominent Australians, announced definite plans to speed up the Australian services. A three-day London-Sydney service was at present practicable, but the airports were not up to standard for regular night flying. Inter-Continental Airways were planning larger planes to accommodate 30 to 40 passengers for day and night travelling, with sealc'd cabins for altitudes above the weather. They would gladly organise 10-day round trips to Australia, to see the tests. Mr Plesman paid a tribute to Imperial Airways flying boat achievements, and added that the Dutch were delighted to co-operate with Britain >and Australia*, whose ideals and interests were common to their own.