Page 27 - Chinese International Airmail to 1949

1.3.1 China to Amsterdam: Intended for KLM but carried by Imperial Airways

Sender’s intended Route
CNAC from Shanghai to Hong Kong, Imperial Airways from Hong Kong to Penang and KLM from Penang to Amsterdam.
Route Carried
CNAC from Shanghai to Hong Kong, Imperial Airways from Hong Kong to Penang and Imperial Airways from Penang to Paris,
flown onward from Paris to Amsterdam.
Rate
For a letter, the rate via Imperial was surface $0.25 (first 20g) + air $0.55 (per 5g) + air within China $0.25 (per 5g) = $1.05.
If carried by KLM, the rate was cheaper: surface $0.25 (first 20g) + air $0.40 (per 5g) + air within China $0.25 (per 5g) = $0.90.
The sender prepaid $1.05, i.e. the rate if routed by Imperial Airways to Europe despite the manuscript routing.

3 Feb 1937 ‑ Shanghai to Amsterdam, Netherlands.
The directional handstamp VIA HONGKONG AND BY I.A.L. (McQueen Type 25) was applied in Shanghai.

Flights:
5 Feb FEW46 Imperial Delphinus Hong Kong to Penang
7 Feb IW520 Imperial Arethusa Penang to Karachi
10 Feb IW520 Imperial Hannibal Karachi to Alexandria
13 Feb IW520 Imperial Satyrus Alexandria to Brindisi
14 Feb (Train) Brindisi to Paris
16 Feb Paris to Amsterdam
Service IW520 ran one day behind schedule after Athens.

Backstamps: Hong Kong (4 Feb) and Paris (16 Feb) (75%).