Page 3 - Chinese International Airmail to 1949

1. Early International Services

1.1 British Imperial Airways Empire Service

The first acceptance of air mail to connect with the British Imperial Airways service between the United Kingdom and
Australia was on 19 May 1934. In the pre‑war period, connections were made at Singapore, Hong Kong, Penang, Bangkok
and Rangoon. This service was used until Italy entered the war in June 1940 and closed Mediterranean airspace.
Imperial Airways west-bound service: Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Bangkok, Rangoon, Calcutta, Karachi,
Bahrein, Baghdad, Alexandria, Athens, Rome, Marseilles, Paris to Croydon.
Imperial Airways east-bound service: Singapore, Batavia, Darwin to Brisbane. Operated by Qantas Empire Airways.

Numerous different route and rate Rate Start date Surface Surface Air Reg Express
combinations were used on this service first 20g extra 20g per 5g Fee Fee
between May 1934 and Jun 1940: 1.1.1.1 19 May 1934 0.25 0.15 0.49 0.25 0.50
1.1.1.2 19 May 1935 0.25 0.15 0.46 0.25 0.50
An extra $0.25 (per 20g route 1.1.1, or per 1.1.1.3 1 Jun 1935 0.20 0.12 0.37 0.20 0.40
5g routes 1.1.2 & 1.1.3) was payable if the 1.1.1.4 1 Feb 1936 0.25 0.15 0.46 0.25 0.50
CNAC connecting air mail service was used. 1.1.1.5 26 Aug 1936 0.25 0.15 0.45 0.25 0.50
In the late 1930s there was much 1.1.2.1 15 Oct 1936 0.25 0.15 0.55 0.25 0.50
competition between IAL, Air France 1.1.2.2 19 Dec 1937 0.25 0.15 0.55 0.25 0.50
and KLM to provide an air mail service 1.1.2.3 8 Mar 1938 0.25 0.15 0.45 0.25 0.50
to Europe. All had different rates and the 1.1.2.4 19 Apr 1939 0.25 0.15 0.50 0.25 0.50
postal authorities struggled to validate 1.1.2.5 1 Sep 1939 0.50 0.30 1.00 0.50 1.00
a rate and to sort the mail by service 1.1.2.6 1 Nov 1939 0.50 0.30 1.75 0.50 1.00
requested. This situation was resolved on 1.1.3.1 30 Oct 1939 0.50 0.30 1.00 0.50 1.00
19 April 1939 by the unification of rates 1.1.3.2 1 Nov 1939 0.50 0.30 2.00 0.50 1.00
to destinations irrespective of carrier. 13 Jun 1940 route ceased

1.1.1 Surface to Singapore via Hong Kong, Imperial Airways to Croydon, United Kingdom

Rate 1.1.1.3: 1 Jun 1935 to 31 Jan 1936 (245 days). Surface first 20g $0.20 Air per 5g $0.37

30 Jun 1935 ‑ Shanghai to Lincoln, England. Handstamped ‘By Imperial Air Mail’. Double rate letter $0.20 + 2 x $0.37 = $0.94. Overpaid 10c.