Amsterdam-Batavia door de lucht

Summary

Promotional film about the air link between Amsterdam and Batavia.

A largely staged documentary about the scheduled air link between Amsterdam (Schiphol) and Batavia (Tjililitan). The film was made because this, the longest air route in the world, was initiated on 12 September 1929. The aeroplane used was the Fokker VII/3mi.

The film primarily paints a picture of the advantages of sending the post by air versus by train and ship. First we see shots of the “old-fashioned” postal links, namely ground post (by train) and post by ship: four weeks to get there, and four weeks to return. The new airmail connection to the Dutch East Indies was a weekly one, and took only ten days to reach Batavia.

We see images of local washerwomen. The PH-AEN and PH-AGA aircraft are “there and back in 24 days”. “Every Thursday, the airmail goes to the Indies. Send your post on time so that it will arrive in Amsterdam no later than Wednesday night / Thursday morning”.