AIR-MAIL SPEED-UP.

Waikato Times, Volume 111, Issue 18524, 2 January 1932, Page 11

AIR-MAIL SPEED-UP.

AIRWAY - TERMINUS. NEW P'OST OFFICE AT LONDON. It has now become possible so la expedite air-mail transport between London and Paris that from the time or posting in London to Hie actual delivery in Paris the total lime occupied, including ground connections as well as I,ho aerial journey fom Croydon to Lc Bourgct, is only a little o\ci Iho hours Three-quarters of an hour are saved hv the establishment which has just been effected of a new sub post office in the airway terminus of Imperial Airways adjoining Mctor a railway station, London, S.W.I. < Hitherto late letters intended for the air mail to Paris which leaves tho London airport at 12.30 p.m. daily have been accepted at the General Post Office, E.C., up to ii a in., after which they have had to be placed in bags and sent to the airwavs terminus at Victoria to catch th. passenger car for the Croydon airport which leaves at 11.io a.m. Rut with the sub post office now at .lie airways terminus it becomes possih.e to post a lato letter at this new office up to within a minute of the departure of the car for Croydon. Those who thus save three-quarters of an hour in the late posting of urgent letters also have the- advantage that the air schedule between Croydon and Lc Bourgct has, so far as Ihe new fomengined airliners of Imperial Mrwa’vs arc- concerned, been accelerated by IT> minutes, the lime occupied in the 230-miles llight now being only 21 hours. Thus, with the new postal facilities at Victoria, and with the fastest nilriners, it means that a letter posted at Hie last available moment in London, and leaving by the 12.30 p.m. airliner from Croydon, is delivered in Paris shortly after live o clock that same afternoon, a total saving of approximately one hour as compared with previous schedules. 'Pile cost of sending an ounce letter from London to -Paris hy air, including the air fee as well as the ordinary charge is fourpcnce. Twelve years ago, When tho Post Office entered into amountraet for the carriage of mails on the London-Paris route, the fee was hail'-u-ernwu. The advantage of having a post office at tho. airways terminus at Vietria applies also in Ihe case of la‘e letters for the Indian and African .dr mails. The airliner with Ihe African mail now leaves Croydon each Wednesday at. .12.30 p.m., and it is possible to post, late letters for lids outgoing Empire service up to within a minute of tho departure of the connecting car from Victoria at It.id a.m. Tlie same applies also in regard In the departure from itrnydon each Saturday, at 12.30 p.m.. of the air mail to India.