Spartan Air Lines announced the commencement of a new season of flights between London and the Isle of Wight to start on 1st May 1935.
The actual duration of flights between Heston and Island airfields was 50 minutes. However, the journey time between Bembridge and Victoria Station in London was 1 hour and 30 minutes and from London to Cowes (Somerton Airfield) some 1 hour 45 minutes – including motorised transport between Victoria and Heston on the outskirts of London.
There were to be 3 services in each direction on Sundays, Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays, with 2 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
From 1st June, there was a direct service to the new Sandown (Lea) airport in addition to Bembridge and Ryde. Sandown was the 5th airport to have been established on the Isle of Wight.
The cost of a single ticket was 26s 6d – around £82 in today’s values, with a return costing 45s. Free road transport was provided between Victoria Station in London and Heston and the Isle of Wight aerodromes and nearby towns and villages.
The aircraft used on the flights were Spartan Cruisers – built on the Isle of Wight. These tri-engined planes could cruise at 118mph and accommodate up to 7 passengers with their luggage.
16,000 passengers had travelled to the Isle of Wight by air in 1934, and the airline company expected an increase in passenger numbers in 1935.
At the inaugural luncheon for new domestic air services, Under-Secretary for Air Sir Phillip Sassoon said:
“Britain will never be air-minded until people look upon air travel as the ordinary and accepted means of transport.”
In September 1935, Spartan Air Lines merged with United Airways Limited to form British Airways.
Isle of Wight is larger than Jersey and Guernsey
yet we don’t have an airport like those two
smaller islands.
Need a air service back
Especially the way the Ferries are
thesedays.