ABSTRACT
On the whole, 1938 witnessed a steepening upward swing, both in trunk and local services. This progress was undoubtedly due in part to growing public interest manifested in Parliamentary debates, and for the cultivation of a degree of "air-mindedness" towards civil air transport at least equal to that enjoyed by America. It is, therefore, to be hoped that when planning for the future the vital matter of "public relations" will not be overlooked. On 28th july, 1938, was completed the empire air mail scheme, which provided for the carriage by air of ordinary mail between Britain and other members of the British Commonwealth of Nations. Completion was marked by the despatch to Australia of the first "Empire" flying boat loaded with mail. If passengers and freight are accepted as an index of the commercial value of an air transport service, Imperial Airways operations thus compare un-favourably with the corresponding services of other countries.
