Air Services

Archives-June 1945

Trans-Pacific Air Services PAA promises an early start

THERE are signs that steps are being taken to resume a Trans-Pacif ic mail and passenger air service between North America and the South Pacific; and already there are indications of keen competition between British and American air lines.

The report was current in Sydney, in May, that Qantas, Ltd., the well-

known Australian company, was about to send a survey plane from Sydney to Suva.

Evidently, this report reached Pan- American Airways, which pioneered the service between Hawaii and Auckland, and was operating regular ly, Honolulu-Canton Island-Suva- Noumea-Auckland, when war caused the suspension of all civil flying at the end of 1941. On June 3, the Syd ney 'Telegraph's' New York corre spondent reported that PAA would

resume the service on a weekly basis in June, and would run a twice-week ly service as soon as planes were available.

This was welcome news to Aus tralians. Air-mails from USA come regularly to Australia, but there is no return air-mail - only slow surface mail - and for this Australians blame their blundering and inefficient gov ernment.

Passenger traffic between Aus tralia and USA, and Pacific ports in between, is a matter of sheer luck and wild adventure.

Any airline which can get in quickly and remedy this state of affairs will be called blessed by the business community. ■