British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines
Encyclopedia
British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines or BCPA, was an airline registered in New South Wales
, Australia
in June 1946 with headquarters in Sydney. It was formed by the governments of Australia
(50%), New Zealand
(30%) and the United Kingdom
(20%) to pursue trans-Pacific flights. The original route was Sydney
- Auckland
- Fiji
- Canton Island - Hawaii
- San Francisco - Vancouver
and later included Melbourne
. Initially, BCPA chartered all flights to Australian National Airways
, which used its Douglas DC-4
s. The inaugural flight departed from Sydney on 15 September 1946.
In late 1948, BCPA took delivery of the first of four Douglas DC-6
aircraft, outfitted as Pullman-type sleepers, bundling board options with small port holes bedside. Each aircraft was named for one of the four sailing vessels of Captain Cook, Resolution, Discovery, Adventure and Endeavour.
The airline had ordered six de Havilland Comet
jet airliners in 1952 for delivery in 1954. In 1953 it had agreed to buy three Comet IIs for delivery at the end of 1956 and retain two of the DC-6s for tourist-class carriage.
In October 1953 discussions were held by the three governments to allow the airline to be taken over by Qantas Empire Airways
. In 1954 it was announced that Qantas Empire Airways would take over the BCPA services between Australia and North America and would take over the order for three Comets.
A Douglas DC-6
operating BCPA Flight 304
crashed on approach to San Francisco International Airport
on 29 October 1953. Among the passengers killed in the crash was American concert pianist William Kapell
whose estate sued BCPA; BOAC (which was alleged to have sold Kapell the ticket); and Qantas, which had taken over BCPA. In 1964 Kapell's widow and two children were awarded $924,396 (U.S.) damages. This was later retracted and the Kapell family received only the standard $7000 internationally agreed award.
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in June 1946 with headquarters in Sydney. It was formed by the governments of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
(50%), New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
(30%) and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
(20%) to pursue trans-Pacific flights. The original route was Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
- Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
- Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
- Canton Island - Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
- San Francisco - Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
and later included Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. Initially, BCPA chartered all flights to Australian National Airways
Australian National Airways
Australian National Airways was Australia's predominant carrier from the mid-1930s to the early 1950s.-The Holyman Airways Period:On 19 March 1932 Flinders Island Airways began a regular aerial service using the Desoutter Mk.II VH-UEE Miss Launceston between Launceston, Tasmania and Flinders...
, which used its Douglas DC-4
Douglas DC-4
The Douglas DC-4 is a four-engined propeller-driven airliner developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company. It served during World War II, in the Berlin Airlift and into the 1960s in a military role...
s. The inaugural flight departed from Sydney on 15 September 1946.
In late 1948, BCPA took delivery of the first of four Douglas DC-6
Douglas DC-6
The Douglas DC-6 is a piston-powered airliner and transport aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company from 1946 to 1958. Originally intended as a military transport near the end of World War II, it was reworked after the war to compete with the Lockheed Constellation in the long-range...
aircraft, outfitted as Pullman-type sleepers, bundling board options with small port holes bedside. Each aircraft was named for one of the four sailing vessels of Captain Cook, Resolution, Discovery, Adventure and Endeavour.
The airline had ordered six de Havilland Comet
De Havilland Comet
The de Havilland DH 106 Comet was the world's first commercial jet airliner to reach production. Developed and manufactured by de Havilland at the Hatfield, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom headquarters, it first flew in 1949 and was a landmark in aeronautical design...
jet airliners in 1952 for delivery in 1954. In 1953 it had agreed to buy three Comet IIs for delivery at the end of 1956 and retain two of the DC-6s for tourist-class carriage.
In October 1953 discussions were held by the three governments to allow the airline to be taken over by Qantas Empire Airways
Qantas
Qantas Airways Limited is the flag carrier of Australia. The name was originally "QANTAS", an initialism for "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services". Nicknamed "The Flying Kangaroo", the airline is based in Sydney, with its main hub at Sydney Airport...
. In 1954 it was announced that Qantas Empire Airways would take over the BCPA services between Australia and North America and would take over the order for three Comets.
A Douglas DC-6
Douglas DC-6
The Douglas DC-6 is a piston-powered airliner and transport aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company from 1946 to 1958. Originally intended as a military transport near the end of World War II, it was reworked after the war to compete with the Lockheed Constellation in the long-range...
operating BCPA Flight 304
BCPA Flight 304
British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines Flight 304/44 was a Douglas DC-6 named Resolution and registered VH-BPE, on a flight from Sydney, Australia, to Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada, with scheduled stops at Nadi , Canton Island, Honolulu and San Francisco...
crashed on approach to San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco International Airport is a major international airport located south of downtown San Francisco, California, United States, near the cities of Millbrae and San Bruno in unincorporated San Mateo County. It is often referred to as SFO...
on 29 October 1953. Among the passengers killed in the crash was American concert pianist William Kapell
William Kapell
William Kapell was an outstanding American pianist who was killed in the crash of a commercial airliner.-Biography:...
whose estate sued BCPA; BOAC (which was alleged to have sold Kapell the ticket); and Qantas, which had taken over BCPA. In 1964 Kapell's widow and two children were awarded $924,396 (U.S.) damages. This was later retracted and the Kapell family received only the standard $7000 internationally agreed award.