FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1955
1955 - 0302.PDF
302 FLIGHT Capacity ton-mites offered Load ton-mites sotd Revenue toad factor ... Seat-miles available ... Passenger-miles flown Passenger load factor Passengers carried Mai! ton-mites flown .. Freight ton-miles flown Average staff (1953-54) (1952-53) 1954 206,298,032 132,762,169 64.4 1.405,342,236 879,973.683 62.6 282.633 17,097,812 23,604.872 17,278 1953 212,718,813 137.180,871 64.5 1,444,908,683 914.590,316 63.2 289.339 17,328.409 22.S35.751 17,659 Per canto e tier B.O.A.C. —3.03 ~ —2 is —3.5—1.0 2 3 —2.2 IN common with the other major airlines B.O.A.C. have experi-enced a great increase in their volume of business since theend of the war—from 115,000 passengers in 1947-48 to 305,000 in 1953-54. Over the last two years, however, there hasbeen a marked flattening in the increase curve and in the calendar year 1954 B.O.A.C.—alone among the big international carriers—experienced a drop in traffic. This was caused simply by the airline's lack of aircraft to meet all the demands of its 80,000-mitenetwork of routes, following withdrawal of Comet Is from the African and Eastern lines and the subsequent non-delivery ofComet 2s intended for service over the South Atlantic. The loss last year of a Constellation and a Stratocruiser had a furtheradverse effect on the equipment situation. The direct result of the aircraft shortage was the complete suspension of B.O.A.C.'sSouth American services and the curtailment of some others; there were also serious effects on the Corporation's long-term planningprogramme. First the Corporation was forced to buy second-hand aircraft—eight Stratocruisers and seven Constellations—to coverits immediate needs; then, feeling it necessary to ensure against any possible repetition of such a situation, B.O.A.C. asked forGovernment approval to buy DC-7Cs for delivery late in 1956. Permission to buy ten of these aircraft, which are intended pri-marily to operate a competitive non-stop service across the North Atlantic, was granted about two weeks ago. It is a tribute to the courage and resilience of the Corporationthat it has so far maintained its competitive position and that its fine reputation for service and efficiency has not in any way beentarnished by events of recent months. Though losses of as much as £7m annually were incurred inthe first post-war years, the Corporation is now in a healthy financial state. An operating profit has been achieved for thelast three financial years, the net profit in 1953-54, after payment of interest on capital, being £936,911. The high average utiliza-tion of the Corporation's fleet—last year flying time on scheduled services totalled 141,076—has been an important factor behindthe improved finances. A small profit is foreseen this year. During 1953-54 the average distance flown by each B.O.A.C. Top, work on Stratocruiser "Canopus," which carried Princess Margaret on her recent tour. Below, Argonaut "Atalanta" taxies in. THE AIRWAYS passenger was 3,143 miles—a figure which is claimed to be sub-stantially higher than that of any other major airline. There has lately been a notable increase in the proportion of passengersmaking use of B.O.A.C.'s tourist-class services—from 28 per cent in 1953 to over 40 per cent last year. An important feature of the Corporation's programme for thecoming year wiil be the operation of Stratocruisers on all services across the North Atlantic. This has been made possible by anincrease in the strength of the Stratocruiser fleet, which now totals 16 aircraft, two of which have been bought from P.A.W.A. and sixfrom United Air Lines. Nine of the fleet are at present in opera- tion and the remaining seven are being converted in preparationfor the forthcoming busy season. The Corporation's fleet of Constellations also numbers 16 aircraft—12 L.749As and fourL.049s. The Constellation 049s will be replaced by 749s during the next few months under a barter agreement between B.O.A.C.and Capital Airlines whereby the British airline receives seven of the later type aircraft which have a longer range in return forseven 049s plus $3,850,000. Constellations are at present operating some of B.O.A.C.'sAtlantic tourist services as well as services to Sydney (this route is flown in partnership with Qantas who use Super Constellations)and to Ceylon. Under the forthcoming redeployment programme it is likely that Constellation services will be introduced to someof the African and Eastern routes now flown by Argonauts. B.O.A.C. have a fleet of 22 Argonauts which are used on bothfirst-class and tourist services. Six York freighters represent the only other type of aircraft used by the Corporation, the HermesIVs having finally been withdrawn. To replace their existing fleet of 60 piston-engined aircraftB.O.A.C. have ordered a total of 63 new aircraft of three different types, each type employing one or other of the three main classesof power unit offered for long-range transports—the compound piston-engine, the turboprop and the turbojet. The decision tocontinue to use piston engines, was however, an insurance measure, and it is hoped that eventually B.O.A.C.'s equipment will consistsolely of British turbine-powered aircraft—Britannias and Comets. Thirty-three Britannias are on order, 15 of which will be Mk 100sfor delivery in 1956-57 and, subsequently, for introduction on Commonwealth routes. The remaining 18 will be more powerful,larger Mk 300s. and ten of these will be "L.R." versions with tankage for transatlantic non-stop operations. The order forDC-7Cs was approved with the proviso that the American aircraft should be re-sold when Britannia 300 L.R.s are available fortransatlantic routes. B.O.A.C. are likely to be the first airline to re-introduce jet travel when "New Comets" are ready for scheduledservice—probably in 1957. Twenty such Comets have been ordered by the Corporation.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
