Imperial Airways/BOAC - Luxor
 

A friend of mine who lives in Egypt has asked me to help him with the history of aviation in Luxor as he's been asked to prepare a talk for Expats. I couldn't think of a better forum to come to for info.

I'm looking for history of flying in the area from when aircraft first came to the region and what if any services that used to operate down The Nile. I've looked for YouTube clips but the nearest is the recreation of the East African route using a Catalina.

Thanks in advance.

In 1928 Sir Alan Cobham carried out a route-proving flight down the Nile from Alexandria to Juba. The aircraft was a Short Singapore flying-boat. The route was subsequently operated by Imperial Airways.

I've found a bit more for you. lmperial Airways 1938. The first day is Southampton to Athens, and the second to Alexandria. "The flying-boat then proceeds to Cairo and flies over the Nile Valley Luxor and Wadi Halfa....On the morning of the third day from England, the first stage is to Khartoum....The trunk route southwards from Khartoum follows the White Nile to Malakal...and continues to Port Bell on the northern shore of Lake Victoria. It then turns eastward to Kisimu, which is the end of the third day's flight from England" It seems these flights were operated by Shorts Empire flying-boats. I can't find frequencies, but the route to India was five times a week, so perhaps similar to Khartoum. Of interest is the airfare. London-Luxor return was £ 90, inclusive of all meals and hotel accommodation. If I find anything more I'll post again.

In 1936 the Short Calcutta (3-engine, open cockpit) and Kent (4-engine, fully enclosed) Flying Boats overflew Luxor southbound but nightstopped northbound, so there must have been a decent (for the time) hotel there.

http://www.timetableimages.com/ttima...f/iaw36f-2.jpg

The Short Empire Flying Boats had come along by 1938 and routed through Luxor both ways in 1938 :

http://www.timetableimages.com/ttima...f/iaw38f-2.jpg


By1939 Luxor was being overflown altogether and the Boat routed directly from Cairo to Wadi Halfa

Imperial Airways


The significant Imperial Airways point in Egypt was not Luxor or Cairo, but Alexandria, junction of the routes from Britain to Africa and to Asia, a mail sorting, overnighting and crew change point, also for the (few of course) connecting passengers proceeding from Africa to Asia).

Again from Cobham. "At Luxor we landed on the river, and picked up our moorings in front of the Winter Palace Hotel. It was all delightfully convenient, and I was more convinced than ever that this was the best way to travel in Egypt."

Some general background can be found in Gerald Butt's "History in the Arab Skies" and "Airwork: A History" by Keith McCloskey which has a chapter of the beginnings of Egyptair (Misr Airwork) and mentions a daily service to Luxor from Alexandria and Cairo in 1936.