Page 57 - Chinese International Airmail to 1949

2.2 Wartime Disrupted Routes to North America

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour on 7 December 1941 had an instant effect on air mail routes with the Pacific
suddenly being closed to commercial aircraft. The wartime services to North America relied on cooperation with the
British for mutual benefit, as most of the routes used were a combination of BOAC and PAA services.

Seven different routes were used, and were often in use concurrently:

Ref. Outline of Route Start Date End Date No. Rates
2.2.1 CNAC to Lashio, surface to Rangoon, BOAC to Durban, surface to USA 16 Dec 1941 4 Feb 1942 1

2.2.2 CNAC to Calcutta, BOAC to Durban, surface to USA 30 Dec 1941 5 Nov 1943 6
2.2.3 CNAC to Calcutta, BOAC to West Africa, PAA to USA
a. Transfer at Lagos 21 Jan 1942 May 1945 7
b. Transfer at Accra May 1945 5 Nov 1945 3
c. Transfer at Port Bell, via SAA 30 Jun 1942 unknown 1

2.2.4 CNAC to Calcutta, BOAC to West Africa, surface to USA 5 Feb 1942 1 Mar 1942 2
2.2.5 CNAC to Calcutta, BOAC to Egypt, Surface to USA 6 Nov 1943 23 Jan 1945 3
2.2.6 CNAC to Calcutta, BOAC to UK, Surface to USA 24 Jan 1945 5 Nov 1945 3
2.2.7 CNAC to Calcutta, BOAC to UK, PAA to USA 6 Nov 1945 2 Oct 1946 5

Normal air mail communication across the Pacific was restored to North America from 3 October 1946 when the combined
PAA/TWA service from Manila to San Francisco was inaugurated.

UK

New York

2.2.1 Miami Cairo Kunming
Calcutta
2.2.2 Khartoum Rangoon
Lagos
2.2.3

2.2.4

2.2.5
Durban
2.2.6
2.2.7

Routes 2.2. Wartime routes to North America