Central African Airways – Airways Letter Service
Central African Airways
Airways Letter Service
On 1st April, 1955, Central African Airways introduced the Airways Letter Service. The service ran between Bulawayo and Salisbury.
Letters were accepted up to 30mins at Airports – or 90mins at Town Terminals – prior to the aircraft scheduled departure time. Letters were to bear stamps of the Federation of Rhodesia & Nyasaland to the value of normal postage and the Airways Letter stamps available at the airport/terminal.
The Airways Letter surcharge rate was:
- 6d – weight not exceeding 2oz
- 1s – over 2oz but not exceeding 4oz.
Letters over 4oz were not accepted.
By 1959 Lusaka, Ndola, Livingstone and Blantyre were added to the service. In 1960 the 2oz letter rate was increased to 1s (or part thereof). By 1961, Fort Jameson, Lilongwe, Kariba and Mongu had also been added to the service.
On 1st August, 1963, CAA introduced an improved service which included:
- Three specially printed covers that were available free of charge to customers
- Telephone advice to addressees of mail delivery (excluding where it required a trunk call).
The rate was increased to 3/6d.