Page 2 - Chinese International Airmail to 1949

Chinese International Air Mail

to 1949

A study of the routes and rates used by Chinese mail that was carried by air to international destinations. The period
covered is from the first acceptance by the Chinese post office of mail to be carried by air to overseas countries,
through to the beginning of the communist administration in October 1949.

This exhibit is organised first by date, and then by geography within date. The three broad time periods are
pre‑World War II, during WWII and post WWII. These bands are not straightforward to define as different parts of
the world entered and recovered from the conflict at different times.

Pre-War Wartime Post-War
1.1 Imperial Airways Service 2.1 Services to Europe 3.1 CNC $ Rates by Destination
1.2 Air France Service 2.2 Services to North America 3.2 CNC $ Unified Rates
1.3 KLM Service 2.3 Other Destinations 3.3 Gold $ Unified Rates
1.4 North American Service 3.4 Silver $ Unified Rates
1.5 Russian Service

The three time periods offer different key aspects for study:
• Pre‑War The different airlines had fierce price competition
• Wartime Many pragmatic routes were sought and developed
• Post‑War The devastating problem of hyperinflation was encountered and overcome.
Throughout the two decades that are covered, only commercial mail is shown; first flight material is banished! Not
all routes and rates can be shown in a restricted number of sheets, so more unusual routes and/or short‑lived rates
are favoured. These rarer items are highlighted with red text.

Sources:
Aitink H. & Hovenkamp E., Bridging the Continents in Wartime, Stiching Luchtpostgesschiedenis Tweede Wereldoorlog, 2005
Blackburn J.L., “The Postal Rate History of China”, The China Clipper, six articles: Jul 1967, Sep 1968, Mar 1969, Mar 1971,
Sep 1972 and Mar 1979
Cheung A., Chinese International Postal Routes during the Sino-Japanese War of 1937-45, privately published in Australia, 2008
Crewe D., Hong Kong Airmails 1924-1941, Hong Kong Study Circle, 2000
Halewood N., Hong Kong Airmails 1945-1995, Hong Kong Study Circle, 2000
McQueen I., Airmail Directional Handstamps Volumes 1 & 2, Author, 2003
Moeller P. & Sall L.D., Eurasia Aviation Corporation, Ink, Valleyford, USA, 2007
Sieh P. & Blackburn J.L., Postage Rates of China 1867-1980, Directorate General of Posts, Taipei, 1981
Starr J. & Mills S.J., The Chinese Air Post 1920-1935, Authors, 1937
Wingent P., Extracts from the Air Ministry Civil Aviation Intelligence Reports Summaries 1939-1945, West Africa Study Circle, 2010