HC Deb 11 April 1938 vol 334 cc769-70W
Lieut.-Commander Fletcher

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether the delay in establishing a British air service to the West Indies is connected with the provision of suitable aircraft; and if the aircraft industry was made aware in 1937 of the demand for a type of aircraft suitable for this service?

Lieut.-Colonel Muirhead

A service to the West Indies must be dependent on the existence of aircraft suitable for maintaining a service across the North Atlantic, and hitherto no such aircraft have been available. The problem of crossing the North Atlantic is one which has been well known to aircraft constructors for many years.