HC Deb 19 December 1929 vol 233 cc1634-5W
Captain BALFOUR

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air the total number of journeys from England to India and back carried out by aircraft of Imperial Airways, Limited, since the commencement of this route; the number of such journeys when mails arrived late to their schedule or failed to arrive; and the number of times the mail has had to be transported for part of the journey by methods of ground or sea travel instead of entirely by air?

Mr. MONTAGUE

Between the opening of the England-India air snail service on 31st March, 1929, and 30th November, 1929, the number of completed flights to Karachi was 35 and from Karachi 31. Up to 31st October, the mail arrived after the schedule date on three occasions at Karachi and on three occasions at Croydon, and in addition it was lost on the occasion of the two accidents, at Jask outwards and near Spezia homewards. The service has throughout been organised on a basis of the carriage of mails by train for the stage between Basle and Genoa. Since 1st November, however, largely owing to climatic conditions on the alternative mid-European route, temporarily operated from that date, the air mail has been carried on all occasions for longer stages by train, and on some also by sea, and it has not in consequence been possible to adhere to a completely regular schedule.