Courting by Aeroplane

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23181, 29 October 1938, Page 12 (Supplement)

Courting by Aeroplane

SCOTLAND is believed to be the only country in the world in which courting couples regularly hop aboard an evening airliner to visit each other in their homes. Lagging behind many other nations in new industrial development, Scotland is for its size the most air-minded country in tho world. "in a little over five years it lias developed 20 separate air routes, totalling "2,500 miles, over which fleets ot air-liners operate daily. A large number of people living in the Inner and Outer Hebrides find flying all ideal means of transport from the islands to the mainland. Most of them have known no other means of transport, and use the aeroplane as niainlunders use the bus or train. Farmers use it. to go to markets. Housewives take a "jaunt ' to the mainland to do shopping. Courting couples find flying a miraculous boon. Dangerous journeys lasting a week or more in winter-time are a thing of the past to the inhabitants of the lonely, rock bound, practically inaccessible western isles. The aim of making people "airminded" has been achieved with great success throughout the country. Small companies have been merged and financed by tho powerful tad and steamship groups, so that existing ser-

vices have boon greatly speeded op and extended. On several routes, flying time has been cut drastically to ensure quick journeys. The one-dav journey from Glasgow to Wick lists been reduced to only two hours 40 minutes by air. The boat and train journey from Glasgow to tho Outer Hebrides, which took several flays a few years ngo, may now be dono in under two hours. From Glasgow, also. Campbeltown can bo reached in 45 minutes, Islay in 50 minutes. Tiree in 75 minutes, the Shetland:* in four hours live minutes, Perth in 35 minutes, and Inverness in 95 ininute.s. Inverness to the Shetland* takfs two bonis ten minutes, Inverness to Orkney 80 minutes, and Aberdeen to tho Shetlands two hours 45 minutes. The :• : r companies plan to open up more and more routes so that every town in Scotland may eventually be connected by air service. Within four months, five new air services have been smarted —from Renfrew to Tiree, Glasgow to Holland, Aberdeen to Holland. Aberdeen to Orkney and Shetland, and Renfrew to Inverness. Further routes will be opened this year or early in 1939, including a direct air service between Glasgow and London. In co-operation with International Air Lines, links have been established with services throughout the world. Business men and holidaymakers are now able to leave Glasgow in tho morning iMid reach practically any city in Europe in time for dinner. Islanders from tho northernmost Shetlands can fly almost from their

Scots Are Most Air-Minded Nation In the

By A Special Glasgow Correspondent own doorsteps to India or Australia with only a few brief intervals 011 the journey to change air-liners. Co-operating with tho Scottish lifeboat stations, tho air lines have formed a radio link-up to assist life-saving at sea, and the air ambulance scheme, which is included in the local authorities' plan to provide medical assistance to the Highlands and the islands, has helped to save more than 200 lives in five years. "Some years ago the people of Scotland looked upon air transport with suspicion," a Scottish air official told an interviewer. "The change-over has been amazing, for since that time thousands of Scots have travelled over our lines. "Bookings are always heavy, and we are continually increasing tho number of machines and personnel."