as agent for BOAC in West Africa, its Traffic Department
handling BOAC’s aircraft and passengers at Lagos, Kano
and Accra as well as at several stations for KLM, Air France,
Sabena, TAP, Pan American, TAI and Lebanese Airways.
WAAC also acted as West African Sales Agents for several
other airlines, including KLM, Swissair, BEA, Airwork and
Hunting-Clan, and in its first year of operation derived roughly
as much revenue from providing these handling services as it
did from its own operations.
‘Flyer’ Services
Within a year of commencing operations WAAC accepted
that the economics of operating in West Africa pointed to both
the need for aircraft of greater capacity and the requirement for
second class travel fares.
The Bristol Freighters lacked many of the creature comforts
of the Doves but after the latter returned to service, the austere
aircraft were fitted with up to 56 passenger seats for the launch
of second class Flyer services, initially from Accra to Kumasi
but then expanding their reach to include Lagos, Kano, Port
Harcourt, Tiko and Benin. Flyer services were often cheaper
than rail, road or sea journeys over the same routes, providing a
convenient alternative for the local population.
Four Flyer services operated. The (most popular) weekly
Coastal Flyer covered the 250 miles (402km) from Accra to
Lagos in an hour and three quarters. It cost just
£4 – half the cost and a fraction of the duration
of surface transport.
The Ashanti Flyer operated from Accra to
Kumasi (a centre for cocoa growing ) while
the Eastern Flyer crossed the Niger delta from
Lagos to Benin and Port Harcourt. The
Eastern Flyer was a two-hour sector that
offered a massive saving over both the two-day
sea voyage or the (more expensive) four-day
detour by rail to cross the river upstream.
The weekly Hausa Flyer service connected
Accra with Kano, in Hausa tribe country, via
Lagos, Ibadan and Jos. The four-hour Lagos-
Kano sector itself would have taken two
days by train. The price of a Flyer ticket also
included the coach journey between town
centre and airport.
The Flyer services were heavily promoted
by WAAC in a ‘You Too Can Fly’ advertising campaign
that included posters, calendars, a travelling exhibition and even
cartoons in local cinemas as well as pleasure flights aboard the
Bristol 170s.
The services rapidly grew in popularity and, with the delayed
entry in to service of the Marathons, a further Wayfarer was
procured to meet demand, bringing the Bristol 170 fleet up to
five. The robust Bristol aircraft proved ideal for high density
‘second class’ travel within the region at discounted fare levels
and by 1954 Flyer services accounted for half of all the airline’s
passengers.
In 1952 WAAC became the first airline to introduce the
Handley Page H.P.R.1 Marathon (as the Miles M.60 had by
then been rebranded) into service.All roads lead to
Kano. The airport
was an important hub
both for WAAC and
for foreign carriers.WAAC timetables
were “subject to
alteration without
notice” and f lag stops
could sometimes be
added. One timetable
quaintly noted: “A call
will be made at Zaria
if inducement offers
and circumstances
permit.”
D W
A Engineering
staff working at
a Magnaf lux
workbench. Purpose-
built workshops at
Ikeja were opened
in February 1950
and WAAC took on
maintenance for
other operators.Bristol 170 VR-NAA.
The Bristol Freighters
and Wayfarers were
used to establish
the four Flyer
routes that proved
immensely popular
and provided a fast,
reliable and often
cheaper alternative
to road, rail and ferry
transport.
A ’
C 20 AIRLINER Classics 2018