IMPORTANT AIRWAYS MERGER.
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ONJuly 25, British Airways, Ltd., and British Continental Airways, Ltd., announced that, subject to the approval of the latter company's shareholders, they had agreed terms for amalgamation.
British Airways, Ltd., was formed last October by amalgamating Hillman's Airways, Ltd., United Airways, Ltd., and Spartan Air Lines, Ltd. Whitehall Securities Corporation, Ltd., and the d'Erlanger banking interests are behind it It runs many air lines in Great Britain, also lines to Paris and Scandinavia. .
British Continental Airways, Ltd., was formed in April, 1935, by an influential group, with Sir Percy Mackinnon, of Lloyd's, as chairman.
The immediate effect of the amalgamation will be to stopcompetition on the route to Stockholm. Apart from this, the combined concern will be in a strong position to tender for other air services which the Government may be prepared to help with mail contracts.
ANOTHER DAWN SERVICE.
THIS summer, the low prices in 1 Belgium have attracted many English people to the resorts on that country's sandy coast. So that they may be able to buy The Mortaigg Post almost as early there as they can in London, the Messageries Hachette have arranged for a special air service from Lympne to Ostend.
It is run by the Belgian Air Lines (Sabena) and leaves late . enough (5.30 a.m.) to allow vans to carry the papers from London to Lyinpne, near Folkestone. From Ostend vans distribute at resorts along the coast. London evening papers go over on the 5.54 p.m. service from Croydon.
EXPANSION OF CROYDON COMPANY.
9-1HE. Croydon company, Wright1 ways, Ltd., which has steadily progressed since it was formed early last year to start a dawn newspaper service to Paris for Wm. Dawson and Sons, Ltd., has increased its registered capital from £6,000 to £20,000. Lord Rochdale, father of the Hon. John Kemp (chairman of the company), has joined the board, also Major P. de • Havilland,
The Month in Brief
INDOUBTEDLY, the most impor tant happening in British air transport in the past month has been the agreement (subject to shareholders' approval) for amalgamating British Airways, Ltd., and British Continental Airways, Ltd. These powerful concerns have competed for traffic between London and Sweden and both are working on schemes for a service across the South Atlantic, United, they form a.company comparable in resources with Imperial Airways, Ltd.
At home there is no outstanding change in the air-line network, hut traffic is generally higher than last year, except on routes serving some holiday resorts, which hive been particularly hit by the bad weather.
Charter business, both internally and abroad, seems to be advancing even more rapidly than traffic on the air lines, New companies have appeared, yet all seem to find enough work to keep them busy and there is a shortage of material, especially pilots.
The recent outpouring of home truths in the Press about the continued effort of the Railway Clearing House to prevent travel agents from booking for air lines which compete with railway interests has probably done some good. The matter has been raised in Parliament and the Air Ministry has been seeking a solution.
FIRST BRITISH NIGHT MAILS. °THE first British-operated inter1 -national air-mail .service to be flown at night was started by British Airways, Ltd., on July 27. A service is being run five nights a week between London and Hanover, to connect there with the Scandinavian night-mail network,
Hitherto, the German night service has carried the mails between Hanover and London. Later, British Airways, Ltd., will fly right through to Stockholm and the Swedish Air Lines will fly to London on alternate nights. Practically all British letters to Scandinavia now go by air for the ordinary postage.
R.A.S. MILEAGE INCREASED.
AT the second annual general meeting of Railway Air Services, Ltd., Sir Harold Hartley, C.B.E., chairman, said that the published accounts and the meeting were a formality, for the shareholders comprise the four main railway companies and Imperial Airways, Ltd. The company is not responsible financially for its operations far the railways,
In 1935, the fleet flew 655,992 miles, compared with 210,857 miles in 1934, and this summer it is covering sortie 11,000 miles more per week than last summer.
BETTER NORTH SEA TRAFFIC.
LAST month, the Royal Netherlands .L.iAir Lines (K.L.M.) and British Continental Airways, Ltd., began their daily summer service between Liverpool, Doncaster and Amsterdam. They report that traffic is better than it was last year, when Hull was the Midway call, instead of Doncaster.
NEW CROYDON 'CHARTER CONCERN. .
YET another charter company has started business at Croydon. This is Croydon Airways, Ltd., which Mr. Tim Woods, who has "done much commercial flying in the employ of Surrey Flying Services, Ltd., has recently formed. A new de Havilland Dragonfly five-seater, with two Gipsy Major 130 h.p. engines and. complete wireless, hight-ilying and blind-flying equipment, has been delivered, and the company has two -single-engined aeroplanes of the same make.