flying boats. From 1950 to 1954, Wellington was also linked by flying boat to Sydney. The long intended Wellington–Sydney flying boat service commenced on 3 October 1950 with the departure of TEAL Short Solent IV, RMA Ararangi, from Wellington. It carried between 40,000 and 50,000 letters, mostly first day covers, weighing 660 lbs and 86 lbs or second class mail. Wellington resumed international service, at first only to Sydney, in 1960 Christchurch–Melbourne On 20 December 1950, 39–41 passengers on a British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines Douglas DC-6 airliner chartered by TEAL, left the recently dedicated Christchurch Airport on a direct flight to Melbourne, and what would become a regular TEAL air service relieving South Island from international air-service isolation. The DC-6, RMA Resolution, departed for Melbourne at 10:10 am, arriving 6 hours and 35 minutes later. Christchurch–Sydney From 1954, newly acquired Douglas DC-6 aircraft were introduced to a new Christchurch–Sydney service and the Auckland–Sydney service; TEAL now operating its own Christchurch–Melbourne and Auckland–Melbourne services. Auckland–Brisbane A service between Auckland and Brisbane followed in 1959 Christchurch–Brisbane A service between Christchurch and Brisbane followed in 1959 Coral Route The New Zealand National Airways Corporation had initiated Pacific Island flights flying Douglas DC-3 aircraft, from Auckland to Nadi (Fiji), Faleolo (Samoa), Aitutaki and Rarotonga (Cook Islands). These routes were later taken over by TEAL, which wanted to fly to Tahiti, but there was no airstrip at Papeete, so a flying boat was necessary. After completion of a survey flight by a TEAL-operated ex-RNZAF Catalina ZK-AMP in 1951, the Coral Route flight from Auckland to Papeete, Tahiti, via Laucala Bay at Suva, Fiji, Satapuala at Apia, Samoa, and Akaiamai at Aitutaki in the Cook Islands, was inaugurated by TEAL on 27 December 1951, using the Short Solent flying boats long used between Auckland and Sydney. In Samoa, the plane landed on the sea and a small motor boat operated by Fred Fairman would carry the passengers to shore. They would alight and go through customs in a small shed. The Faleolo airport was still a grass strip. A TEAL staff competition gave the route the name the Coral Route. The winning entry came from Eric Mullane, head steward, who was inspired by the beauty of islands (coral) and of the song-filled (choral) welcome that greeted visitors to the islands. It became the only air route into Tahiti, with Americans and others from Northern Hemisphere flying