On June 1, 1950, a flying boat service was launched at Leith Docks to the sound of much fanfare from the assembled crowd, boat sirens and ship horns.
Sir Andrew Murray, Lord Provost of Edinburgh, was present as the first aircraft, the Aquila Airways flying boat Hudson touched down at Leith’s new marine airport at the Albert Dock basin.
READ MORE - When Edinburgh had a flying boat service that took passengers from Leith Docks
Successfully completing its proving flight, the seaplane was to herald the start of a new weekly service from Southampton to Edinburgh and Greenock and back, with daily flights planned for the summer months.
The service, which was a British first, was to cater for three main types of passengers, including naval crew on short leave, ship passengers and holidaymakers travelling between Scotland and England. The flying boats would also ferry cargo to and from the ports.
Commercial air travel at this time was in its infancy, with the first passenger flights departing Edinburgh Turnhouse in 1947.
Upon completion of the first flight, one passenger remarked that “it was the most comfortable flight I have ever experienced”.
A brochure issued to passengers detailed what first-time flying boat users should expect at take-off - including the personalities and attire of Aquila’s captains.
It read: “Immediately prior to take-off you will hear the captain test his engines by running them up in pairs to full power. We tell you this because in the past some of our less knowing passengers have got the impression that the pilot had made two unsuccessful attempts to take-off, and finally made it on the third.
“A lighted sign, Fasten Seat Belts, will be illuminated in each cabin and your captain requires you to be seated with belts fastened. At all other times you may walk about as you please from cabin to cabin, or you may visit the cocktail lounge and bar on the promenade deck.
“Our captains are inclined to be the sedate, solid type. In fact we have often thought that black coat and striped trousers might be more appropriate than orthodox uniform.’
Each flying boat could carry 50 passengers on the two-and-a-half-hour flight from Leith to Southampton, with tickets costing £9 for a single or £16 4 shillings for a return.
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Once at Southampton, passengers could join connecting flying boat services to Madeira, Marseilles, Santa Margherita, Corfu, Capri, Palermo and a host of other destinations.
To mark the special occasion of the first Leith flight, Southampton’s mayor Dr G H Bardendt wrote to Lord Provost Sir Andrew Murray.
He wrote: “The members of Southampton Town Council join with me in expressing gratification that the capital city of Scotland and Britain’s number one passenger port are now brought closer together, and we hope that the Airport of Leith will ever be used for the benefit and service of men of good will.”
Ultimately, however, the dream of operating a daily or even weekly service would fall flat.
While the Leith Docks Commission continued to renew its airport licence until the end of the decade, the 800-mile round trip connecting Greenock, Leith and Southampton simply didn’t prove popular enough in the long term.
In 1959, the UK Ministry of Transport confirmed that there were no longer any civil flying boat operators still running.
Never again would Leith be used a commercial flying boat terminal.
