IMPERIAL AIRWAYS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18254, 24 November 1933, Page 2

IMPERIAL AIRWAYS

Arrival at? croydon IMPRESSIVE SCENES England, ns the central rallying point of the Empire, writes IV Ir W. H. Fysh, of Qantas service, Queensland, lias not been slow in developing an transport. Perhaps the most impressive thing -to be seen in European aviation is to visit Croydon ami watch the arrival of a Hamlloy-Pago air linoi from Paris. This aerial monster, like come huge prehistoric creature of the air, floats in over the edge of the aerodrome and literally sits down like a moth. As she turns and taxies in, the British civil aviation ensign is nin up and flutters in the breeze. Attendants double up with the 'passengers’ alighting platform. A door opens in the fuselage, and then the most impressive part commences, I his huge monster starts disgorging passengers from its belly. Twenty, 25, 30, and still they go on, until 38 m all alight. The largest motor coach available is insufficient to convey this crowd of air travellers to the city—an extra vehicle has to ibe put on. On n trip to Paris with Imperial Airways, you buy not only speed, but buy comfort, safety, and British stability. Confidence is the keynote. . , „ No less impressive is the arrival ot an air liner which has connected with the Empire routes to India and South Africa. To watch the passengers alight is indeed a study. Here is an Indian Army officer home on leave with his topee on his arm. Next, perhaps, ■i local notable from Bagdad, or a business mail from Calcutta, hurrying to London to put through an urgent business deal. A planter and his wife from Kenya, well loaded down with cufics—a native drum and a few spears—and there is probably a lionskin in the luggage compartment. Romance speaks in every beat of an Imperial Airways propeller, and the new bond which is linking the Em-

pire. , . Last year 41,000 people crossed the Channel with Imperial Airways, and for perfect operating, discipline, efficiency, and the supply of the essentials of passenger transport, this service takes premier place and incidentally shows the greatest advance towards total self-support. ,