Qantas established its first link with Britain's Imperial Airways in 1931 when it carried the first airmail from Brisbane to Darwin as part of an experimental Australia-England run. Captain Russell Tapp flew the mail in the DH61 'Apollo', arriving in Darwin on 25 April 1931. The mail, some 25,000 letters, was carried on by Charles Kingsford Smith in the 'Southern Cross' to Akyab in Burma, where he connected with Imperial Airways.
On 18 January 1934 Qantas Empire Airways Limited was registered in Brisbane, effectively combining the interests of Imperial Airways and Qantas which each held a half share. Hudson Fysh was appointed Managing Director.
The airline won more airmail contracts. On 10 December 1934 Prince Henry, the Duke of Gloucester, cut a red ribbon to send DH61 'Diana', flown by Captain Lester Brain, and DH50 'Hippomenes', commanded by Captain Russell Tapp, on the inaugural mail service from Brisbane to Darwin. At Darwin the 55,967 items of mail were transferred to two Imperial Airways aircraft bound for England via Singapore.