Honolulu—

Tahiti

Possibilities of New South Pacific Service

THE Honolulu-Tahiti air service seems a little nearer.

In an interview in Sydney, in May, Mr. Brian Monkton, a director of South Pacific Airlines, denied that there has been any change in the company’s plans to run a Solent flying-boat service from Honolulu to Tahiti, with a stop at Christmas Island for refuelling. He said that a recent report that American authorities had refused to register the Solents, and that British authorities had refused to allow the Christmas Island land ings, was untrue. Certain diffi culites had arisen during the negotiations with both authorities, but these had been overcome. The Solents were now on the Ameri can register, and a considerable number of dollars was about to be spent on facilities for refuelling and an overnight stop, at Christmas Island.

While Mr. Monkton was speaking, on May 5, the first Solent was about to take off from Rose Bay on the delivery flight to Honolulu.

He said that during the ensuing month it would make proving flights over the Honolulu-Tahiti course.

Mr. Monkton emphasised that it would be at least another two or :hree months before the passenger service began. Much preliminary work, especially that at Christmas [sland, had still to be done.

The present plan is to operate the Solents on a two-days’ flight on the southbound service because of lack )f night flying and landing facil ties at Tahiti. Planes will land at Christmas Island, seven hours after eaving Honolulu, for refuelling and in overnight stop. They will fly »n to Tahiti the following day.

The return northbound flight will >e made in one day, night landing acilities being available at Hono ulu.

Honolulu Story

It had been reported from lonolulu that the Dollar Line in erests, formerly known to be upporting the proposed service, had withdrawn their interest. The latest lonolulu report contradicts this, but tated —obviously quite wrongly— bat the US insisted that DC4’s be sed Honolulu to Bora Bora, with olents flying the very short hop rom there to Papeete. This would ave been a very cumbersome way f getting over the fact that Papeete as no facilities for land planes.

It is considered possible that, hen South Pacific Airlines gets oing, it will become interested in le present TEAL Coral Route—if

TEAL eventually decides to abandon that service under the general re arrangement which is now taking place. South Pacific Airlines would have an important draw-card should they be able to offer a service from Fiji via Samoa and Tahiti to Honolulu, and on to the United States, instead of via the present uninteresting Canton Island route.