by landplanes into Nadi in Fiji, making the short hop across to Suva to join the flying boat at Laucala Bay, for its fortnightly flight along the Coral Route, leaving on a Thursday morning for Samoa, alighting on the Satapuala lagoon about 2:00pm. Passengers were driven by cab through Samoan coastal villages to Apia, where they enjoyed respite and dinner at Aggie Grey's hotel until 2:00am when they were driven back out to Satapuala for a pre-dawn take-off to the Akaiami lagoon at Aitutaki where they went ashore for breakfast and an optional swim until mid-morning takeoff for Papeete, timed to ensure that arrival was after the end of the siesta period at 2:00pm. After launching ashore and completing Customs, passengers had to wait a further hour while their luggage was sprayed against horticultural pests, a time usually spent by the majority across the road from the Customshouse at Quinn's Bar. In all, a 30-hour leisurely introduction to life in the South Seas which made the Coral Route a legendary travel experience. On 15 September 1960 the final Coral Route flight by the Solent Aranui returned to Auckland. It was one of the world's last long-range scheduled international flying boat services. Landplane flights were extended from Nadi, Fiji, to Pago Pago, American Samoa, and Papeete, Tahiti. In late 1964, the French cancelled TEAL's licence to Tahiti and the Coral Route service terminated at Pago Pago. Air New Zealand was permitted to return to Tahiti in 1967. Hibiscus Service In 1954, TEAL replaced its Mechanics Bay, Auckland to Suva, Fiji, flying boat service, with Douglas DC-6 landplanes from Whenuapai to Nadi. The Hibiscus Service provided first and tourist class travel, especially appealing to folk pursuing a Pacific island dream holiday. Norfolk Island Service The New Zealand National Airways Corporation ceased air mail, passenger and cargo services to Norfolk Island in early September 1955. TEAL resumed the regular air service from Auckland in November with four-engined Douglas DC-6 Skymaster aircraft. TEAL's service was initially weekly, then fortnightly. Fleet Aircraft TEAL operated flying-boats and landplanes: Short S.30 Empire Class flying-boat The first services were flown by Short S.30 Empire Class flying boats. TEAL operated two of these between 1939 and 1947. They were given Maori spiritual names, Aotearoa (land of the long white cloud) for ZK-AMA, Serial S886, and Awarua (two rivers) for ZK-AMC, Serial S994. A third S.30 ordered by TEAL, Serial