Trans-Canada Air lines
service was first established in the early days of the Airline in Nov 1 1939,
when training flights were began between Montreal and Moncton. This service,
carrying mail and express only, connected at Montreal with Toronto and Ottawa.
The carriage of passengers on the Moncton route commenced on Feb 15 1940, and
the first aircraft was the Lockheed 14's. To accommodate this equipment at
Moncton, hanger construction commenced in the autumn of 1939 and was completed
in July of 1940.
On April 15, 1941, Canadian Airways cancelled its service between Moncton ,
Summerside and Charlottetown. On request of the Postmaster General , TCA
temporary operated until Dec 8 when a contract between the post office and MCA
became effective.
At the same time TCA extended its service to Halifax and the first flight left
the New Brunswick city on April 16th.
Treaty arrangements were completed between the Government of Canada and the
Newfoundland Government and service between Moncton Sydney and St. Johns was
inaugurated in May 1942 . By November, two daily flights were operating on the
route and the Montreal , Moncton, Halifax service had increased to three flights
daily.
At the request of Dept of Munitions and Supply, TCA began temporary service
between Moncton and Goose Bay on Mar 26, 1943. On July 1, 1944 one Maritime
round trip was routed through Blissville NB to bring mainline service closer to
Saint John and Fredericton. Simultaneously, daily service was inaugurated
between Halifax and Sydney.
The year 1945 saw the TCA schedule multiplied on a scale unequalled since the
company's early days. In Eastern Canada, flight between Montreal and Halifax
were increased to 4 daily and flights from Halifax to Sydney were increased to 2
each day. With this increase in flight frequency came the decision to establish
Moncton as a major aircraft maintenance base.
In 1946, bigger Lockheed 18 equipment was introduced in the Atlantic Seaboard
provinces. TCA expanded its network of very high frequency radio stations
throughout the Maritimes to establish static free communications with aircraft
in flight.
DC-3 equipment was put on the Maritime routes in Feb of 1947 and to Nfld in May
of the same year. In April, an international twice daily service was inaugurated
between Halifax -Yarmouth-Boston.
Blissville Airport was abandoned on April 15th, when
operations were transferred to Pennfield Ridge. A Pennfield stop was then incorporated into the
Boston service. 1948 saw the introduction of direct operations between Sydney Moncton
and Saint John.
In Sept, 1949, TCA began service to Stephenville Nfld on a daily schedule over
the Montreal Moncton Sydney Gander St. Johns route. This was made possible by
the recent Canadian-American Air agreement which provides for the use of
Stephenville (USAF base at Harmon Field), as a traffic stop in domestic
operations.
The Maritime Provinces have been closely associated with the tremendous growth
of Transatlantic air travel which began its real development during the second
world war. At first military aircraft, seen at many east coast bases, provided
the bulk of trans ocean air transport.
TCA commenced overseas operations with Lancaster equipment in July of 1943 at
the request of the Canadian Government, to carry high priority passengers and
mail for the forces. In 1947, TCA's 4 engine North Star's took their place
beside the aircraft of international carriers seen in the Maritimes. Today they
provide eastern Canadians with first class service to the United Kingdom through
connecting domestic flights.
SOURCE: Saint John Telegraph Journal - February 1, 1952.
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