The London-Paris Air Service -- August 25, 2019

Flight Magazine, 28-August-1919

100 years ago today, on 25-August-1919, the first scheduled air service between London and Paris began service. The company used DH 4s and DH 16s, which were based on the DH 9A light bomber but with a wider fuselage. 

THE LONDON-PARIS AIR SERVICE

Monday last saw the inauguration of the daily air service between London and Paris organized by Messrs. Aircraft Transport and Travel, Ltd. Two Airco machines set out from this side and one machine from Paris.

An Airco 4 machine, fitted with Rolls-Royce engine, left Houslow at 9.10a.m.; it was piloted by Lieut. E. H. Lawford and carried Mr. G. M. Stevenson-Reece, of the Evening Standard, as well as a full load, including a number of daily newspapers, a consignment of leather from a London firm to a firm in Paris, several brace of grouse and a considerable number of jars of Devonshire cream. It arrived at Le Bourget, the Paris Terminus, at 11.40.

At 12.30 p.m. an Airco 16 fitted with Rolls-Royce engine left Hounslow for the regular journey to Paris, the landing being made at 2.45 p.m. Major Cyril Patteson was the pilot and four passengers were carried.

One Machine -- an Airco 4A -- left Paris at 12.40 p.m. and, piloted by Lieut. J. McMullin, with Lieut. Lawford and Mr. V.M. Console of the Daily Mail as passengers, it arrived at Hounslow at 2.45 p.m.

Although the Handley Page service does not start its regular running until Monday next, a preliminary trip was made last Monday. The machine used was of the twin-engined type and the pilot was Maj. Foot, while the 14 passengers included Mr. L.A. Northend of the The Times; Maj. C.C. Turner, Daily Telegraph; Mr. E.A. Perris of the Daily Chronicle; Mr Harold Begbie, Daily Chronicle; Mr. Tourtell, Daily Express; Mr. Bartholomew, Daily Mirror; and Mr. Crosfield, Daily News.

The machine started from Cricklewood at 8.20 a.m., called at Hounslow for Customs formalities, was away at 9.20 a.m., and landed at Le Bourget at 1.15 p.m. Owing to difficulty in obtaining petrol the return journey was postponed to the following day.