Inaugurating British Overseas Airways Corporation's first landplane service to Hong Kong on 23 August 1949. A new Canadair C4 ‘Argonaut’ Class, 36-ton, 40-seater, pressurised monoplane left London’s Heathrow Airport. Previous fights to Hong Kong had been by flying boat from Southampton, a major seaport on the south coast of England.
Passengers included Mrs B. Gillette of Bristol and her four children going out to Hong Kong to join her husband. One of the children, Susan, celebrated her eighth birthday in the air. The plane took three days to reach Hong Kong.
Photo shows: Sir Miles Thomas, BOAC’s Chairman, who was there to inaugurate the first service presents Susan Gillette with her birthday cake aboard the 'Argonaut'. Watching are her brothers.
The ‘Argonaut’ class had a ‘socialising’ area at the rear of the passenger cabin comprising a curved sofa/settee where several passengers could take a break away from their assigned seats.