This is the main section of the website. It is equivqalent of the contents of a book. Each airline is like a chapter of a book. Some of the chapters are long and are split into sub sections. The longest of all is RAS that has fifteen sub sections.A major problem with dealing with airlines of this period is that the airlines were constantly merging and being taken over by other airlines. The contents is for the airline as shown by its livery. e.g. Highland Airways was taken over by United in 1935 which became British Airways in 1937. However, it flew as Highland Airways until Scottish AIrways was formed. When Scottish Airways was formed it had the same pilots, planes and routes but a different livery, so its flights are now covered under Scottish Airways. Each airline has an introduction to the Airline and then a paragraph summarizing the mail carrying activities.
Great Western Railways. Unnofficial mail 12th April. First officially flew airmail 15th May 1933 flying Cardiff - Haldon - Plymouth.
International Airlines Ltd. Also Western Air Express. Flew Croydon - Southampton - Portsmouth - Plymouth from 24th August 1934.
Provincial Airways Ltd. Also, West Country Air Services. Flew Plymouth - Southampton - London on 25th and 26th November.
Portsmouth, Southsea and Isle of Wight Aviation Ltd. Flew five flights between 3rd February 1934 and 17th May 1935.
Midland and Scottish Air Ferries Ltd. Flew from Birmingham Industrial Fair to Hooton and Heston on 19th and 20th Feb 1934.
London, Scottish and Provincial Airways Ltd. Flew one flight on 23rd May 1934 from Nottingham to London.
Highland Airways Ltd. Flew the first GPO Air Mail contract on 29th May 1934 from Inverness to Kirkwall in the Orkneys.
Railway Air Services. First national network with three routes covering thirteen destinations. Started airmail contract 20th Aug1934.
Hillmans Airways Ltd. Took over the RAS London to Glasgow air mail contract on 1st November 1934.
Blackpool and West Coast Air Services. (West Coast Air Services) Had a mail contract from 1st February1935.
Atlantic Coast Air Services Ltd. Flew a private air mail service between Barnstaple and Lundy from April 1935.
Jersey Airways Ltd. Jersey Airways flew air mail under GPO contract on 1st June 1937.
Northern and Scottish Airways Ltd. Flew an emergency mail flight on 12th March 1937 from Renfrew to Islay and Campbeltown.
United Airways/British Airways. United Airways flew a GPO contract from Liverpool to the Isle of Man from 1st November 1935.
Aberdeen/Allied Airways Ltd. Flew Emergency mail on 29th Jan 1937 and mail contract from 23rd November 1937.
Scottish Airways Ltd. Took over the air mail contract of Highland between Inverness and the Orkneys on 3rd May 1938.
North Eastern Airways Ltd. Flew a GPO contract from five Northern cities to London from 3rd October 1938.
Souvenir Mails. Five airlines who had no mail contract flew unofficial mail. on their scheduled routes.
Spartan Airlines Ltd. Contracted to RAS, ran mail from London to Southampton and Cowes from 01st Oct to 31st Oct 1934.
Guernsey Airways. Started a mail service from Southampton to Guernsey on 8th May 1939.
Isle of Man Air Services. Mail services previously served by RAS (Manx Airways) and West Coast Air Services on 26 Sep 1937.
Scottish Emergency Mails. Emergency mails flown in the 1930’s by four Scottish Airlines.
Rocket Post. Details of the 3 experimental trials and their associated mail
APEX. Details of the 1934 Air Post exhibition and the associated mail.
Airlines
British Airlines of the 1930’s
This is the main section of the website. It is equivqalent of the contents of a book. Each airline is like a chapter of a book. Some of the chapters are long and are split into sub sections. The longest of all is RAS that has fifteen sub sections.A major problem with dealing with airlines of this period is that the airlines were constantly merging and being taken over by other airlines. The contents is for the airline as shown by its livery. e.g. Highland Airways was taken over by United in 1935 which became British Airways in 1937. However, it flew as Highland Airways until Scottish AIrways was formed. When Scottish Airways was formed it had the same pilots, planes and routes but a different livery, so its flights are now covered under Scottish Airways. Each airline has an introduction to the Airline and then a paragraph summarizing the mail carrying activities.
Great Western Railways. Unnofficial mail 12th April. First officially flew airmail 15th May 1933 flying Cardiff - Haldon - Plymouth.
International Airlines Ltd. Also Western Air Express. Flew Croydon - Southampton - Portsmouth - Plymouth from 24th August 1934.
Provincial Airways Ltd. Also, West Country Air Services. Flew Plymouth - Southampton - London on 25th and 26th November.
Portsmouth, Southsea and Isle of Wight Aviation Ltd. Flew five flights between 3rd February 1934 and 17th May 1935.
Midland and Scottish Air Ferries Ltd. Flew from Birmingham Industrial Fair to Hooton and Heston on 19th and 20th Feb 1934.
London, Scottish and Provincial Airways Ltd. Flew one flight on 23rd May 1934 from Nottingham to London.
Highland Airways Ltd. Flew the first GPO Air Mail contract on 29th May 1934 from Inverness to Kirkwall in the Orkneys.
Railway Air Services. First national network with three routes covering thirteen destinations. Started airmail contract 20th Aug1934.
Hillmans Airways Ltd. Took over the RAS London to Glasgow air mail contract on 1st November 1934.
Blackpool and West Coast Air Services. (West Coast Air Services) Had a mail contract from 1st February1935.
Atlantic Coast Air Services Ltd. Flew a private air mail service between Barnstaple and Lundy from April 1935.
Jersey Airways Ltd. Jersey Airways flew air mail under GPO contract on 1st June 1937.
Northern and Scottish Airways Ltd. Flew an emergency mail flight on 12th March 1937 from Renfrew to Islay and Campbeltown.
United Airways/British Airways. United Airways flew a GPO contract from Liverpool to the Isle of Man from 1st November 1935.
Aberdeen/Allied Airways Ltd. Flew Emergency mail on 29th Jan 1937 and mail contract from 23rd November 1937.
Scottish Airways Ltd. Took over the air mail contract of Highland between Inverness and the Orkneys on 3rd May 1938.
North Eastern Airways Ltd. Flew a GPO contract from five Northern cities to London from 3rd October 1938.
Souvenir Mails. Five airlines who had no mail contract flew unofficial mail. on their scheduled routes.
Spartan Airlines Ltd. Contracted to RAS, ran mail from London to Southampton and Cowes from 01st Oct to 31st Oct 1934.
Guernsey Airways. Started a mail service from Southampton to Guernsey on 8th May 1939.
Isle of Man Air Services. Mail services previously served by RAS (Manx Airways) and West Coast Air Services on 26 Sep 1937.