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Aviation History
1960
1960 - 0147.PDF
FLIGHT, 29 January 1960 147 "FLIGHT" SAMPLES AN EAGLE AIRWAYS VERY-LOW-FARE ! DC-6C SERVICE By J. M. RAMSOEN BERMUDIANS do not accept that Eagle's application tooperate regular very-low-fare services between London andBermuda falls within the context of "VLF." These initials, it may be recalled, stand for the controversial applications made by this independent and two others, HCA and Airwork, to operate very-low-fare services between London and a dozen British Colonies. Just as HCA and Airwork enjoy a special position in Africa because of their long-established Colonial coach services to that continent, so do Eagle feel that Bermuda is their sphere of influence. On July 26, 1957, Eagle registered an associated com- pany in Bermuda. It was an imaginative attempt—with plenty of commercial risks involved—to transfer some of Eagle's eggs from the UK basket to another that might prove less confined. At length, in May 1958, Eagle Airways (Bermuda) Ltd began operations with a Viscount 805 service between the Colony and New York. The history of this service is another story, which we hope to relate in a subsequent article. Suffice it to say for the moment that Eagle Airways Bermuda have been doing quite nicely. In addition to New York they now serve Montreal, Baltimore - Washington, and Nassau. It is on record in the files of the Bermuda Government's civil aviation department, as Flight took note, that as long ago as October 18, 1957, Eagle Airways Bermuda applied to operate a scheduled service to London from the Colony. This application was granted by the Bermudian authorities on September 15, 1958. The fare was left open, and was later approved at £124 return (see later), £94 less than the BOAC tourist fare. The applica- tion is still in someone's in-tray in Berkeley Square House. Note the dates. It was not until December 1958 that the parent Eagle company sprang its VLF surprise. When it did so, London - Bermuda was not included in the applications because this route had been applied for 14 months previously by an associate. No wonder Bermudians feel that Eagle's proposed cheap air service to the UK should not have become involved in the VLF issue. They—and by "they" we mean Parliament and the Government—believe it to be a separate issue, for a variety of reasons other than that it was approved by Bermuda 16 months ago. An on-the-spot Flight inquiry into these reasons suggests that they might be summed up as follows: — (1) The applicant is a Bermuda-registered company, with a relatively short but satisfactory record of service to the island.(2) The only air link with home—that provided by BOAC—is not regarded as satisfactory.(3) For 3'1 years Bermuda has traditionally (some would say notoriously) bevn a Colony which has looked after its own affairs. Itsfinancial independence of the old country is complete: indeed, it has paid $137m into Britain's dollar reserves since 1939. It is intenselyproud of, and does not want to break, its ties with Britain. Union Flags flutter frflm every flag pole, and there are a lot of flag poles. Inreturn for its loyalty and financial independence it wants a say in its air communications. We asked the Bermuda Government's Director of Civil Aviation, Wg Cdr E. M. Ware, DFC, BSC, AFRAes, for his views on Eagle's proposed service. The DCA could make no comment on the official attitude in the island towards BOAC, and he dismissed the suggestion that the local Eagle company was officially regarded (we use a phraSe from Eagle's advertisements to the public) as "Bermuda's Airline." He explained that Bermuda's Board of Civil Aviation was the officially appointed air transport licensing authority. "It is my understanding," he said, "that this Board thought it in the public interest for Eagle Airways Bermuda to have a licence to operate a scheduled service between Bermuda and London. This licence was granted after a full hearing. It is embarrassing for the Board, as I understand it, that the UK authorities have so far been unable to decide whether this service can or cannot be operated into and out of the UK." He empha- sized that 16 months had elapsed since the Bermuda Board of Civil Aviation had approved the Eagle application. We tried to get closer to the heart of the matter, which—as to Bermuda "Flight" photographs Eagle's DC-6C G-APON, one of three owned by the airline, is seen in the snow at Blackbushe (their London airfield), and in the sunshine of a January day at Kindley field, Bermuda. Below is the overprinted pamphlet used to promote the two special VLF flights
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