South African Aerial Transports services are inaugurated

Date: 25 Oct 1919
Updated: 30 Sep 2019

South African Aerial Transports services are inaugurated

Air services were inaugurated in South Africa with the amalgamation of a London-based company, the South African Aerial Navigation Company and the SA-based South African Aerial Transports Ltd company, under the name of the latter. The headquarters of the service was at Barangwanath airport, near Johannesburg. The company aimed to convince the public of the feasibility and safety of commercial aviation and to secure a Government subsidy. However, it was only in 1929 that a government subsidy was secured. That enabled Maj. Allister Miller, since 1919 the driving-force behind SA aviation, to start the first official commercial air services under the name of Union Airways Company (Pty.) Ltd, introducing a regular service between Port Elizabeth, Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.

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01Potgieter, D.J. et al. (eds)(1970). Standard Encyclopaedia of Southern Africa, Cape Town: NASOU, v. 1, p. 612.

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). South African Aerial Transports services are inaugurated. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011415

South African History Online (2011) 'South African Aerial Transports services are inaugurated', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011415 (Accessed: 22 August 2026).

South African History Online, South African Aerial Transports services are inaugurated [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011415, (accessed 22 August 2026).

"South African Aerial Transports services are inaugurated." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011415. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

South African History Online. "South African Aerial Transports services are inaugurated." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011415.