EMPIRE AIR MAIL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18974, 26 March 1936, Page 5

EMPIRE AIR MAIL

IMPROVING THE SERVICE NEW MACHINES SOON SYDNEY, March 13. Arrangements are being made'by Imperial Airways, Limited, to improve the service between London and Singapore so that delays in the schedule will be minimised. .Most of the planes on this service are due for replacement soon. The new craft will consist of 29 huge flying boats and largo aeroplanes. It is expected that the first of the new flying boats will be in operation abcut June next. This boat will take the place for the Sylvanus, recently destroyed by fire at her moorings in" the Mediterranean. Other flying boats will be placed in service when received from the builders, who are expediting their completion. Mr. A. E. Rudder, Australian representative of Imperial Airways, explained that during the last few months weather conditions'had been particularly bad on the London-India route, and all air operators had been subjected to delay from that cause. Bad storms in the Mediterranean region destroyed equipment and landings, and caused considerable disorganisation. Frequently delays had been due to unavoidable irregularities in the European railway connections, especially in Italy. The duplication of the service between London and Singapore with a heavily increased volume of traffic also placed an additional strain on the Mediterranean service. This would be eased by the new (lying boats. Additional facilities would be provided in a few months.