Page 66 - Chinese International Airmail to 1949

2.3 Wartime Airmail to Rest of World

2.3.1 Australasia

With the fall of Singapore in March 1942 QANTAS, who operated the southern part of the Empire Route of behalf
of BOAC, suspended the service. There was no airmail route available to Australasia until 15 March 1944 when
CNAC commenced flights to Calcutta. Initially mail went south by surface from Calcutta, but on 25 April 1946 the air
service was recommenced to Australia. On 25 August 1946 the use of Calcutta as a transit point ceased when the
post‑war direct mail service from Hong Kong to Australia commenced.

Wartime airmail services to Australia and New Zealand via Calcutta.

The different wartime routes and rates for mail to Australia and New Zealand:

Route Rate Effective Date No. Days surf 20g surf+20g Air / 5g Reg

CNAC to Rangoon 1 1 Nov 1939 731 0.50 0.30 1.55 0.50
BOAC / QANTAS to 2 1 Nov 1941 121 1.00 0.60 2.25 1.00

Australia 3 2 Mar 1942 18 1.00 0.60 3.25 1.00
20 Mar 1942 Direct air service suspended
CNAC to Calcutta 4 30 Jun 1942 333 1.00 0.60 2.25 1.00

Surface to Australia 5 29 May 1943 160 1.50 0.60 2.25 ‡ 1.50
6 5 Nov 1943 131 2.00 1.20 2.50 1.50
7 15 Mar 1944 47 2.00 1.20 3.00 2.60
8 1 May 1944 521 4.00 2.40 3.00 6.00
9 4 Oct 1945 203 30 20 20 ‡ 50

CNAC to Calcutta 10 25 Apr 1946 6 30 20 50 50

BOAC / QANTAS to 11 1 May 1946 20 190 120 50 270
Australia 12 21 May 1946 96 190 120 250 270
25 Aug 1946 Service superseded
‡ Registration fee increased earlier