Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Monday 7 August 1944, page 2


WORLD'S LONGEST AIR HOP TO BE

'KANGAROO SERVICE"

Operation of a regular air service from Australia to India across 3,500 miles of ocean-longest civil non-stop service in the world-has just been announced, although it has been flown regularly since July,

1943.

Average time for each trip is 27 hours, and every passenger - they average three each trip - is entitled to membership of the "Rare and Secret Order of the Double Sunrise," having been continuously in the air for more than 24 hours. Each crew member after making four crossings wears the Qantas Empire Airways long-range operations star. Some of the crew gained this when de-livering Catalinas from America for the Australian Government in 1941, three Pacific crossings being neces-sary for it.

The Catalina service to India is now being augmented by a faster service to be known as the "Kanga-roo Service." The long hop is part of the air route linking Australia, with England, and 500lb of mail and freight is carried on each trip.