Although helium gas was also being used at the time. But the problem was that the supply of helium gas was majorly restricted to America. America had imposed a ban on the export of helium gas. By the 1940s, on one hand, the reputation of airships was declining. People were scared to travel in them. On the other hand, airplanes started improving. The speed, reliability and operating cost of passenger airplanes improved rapidly. In comparison to airplanes, the speed of airships was very slow.
Around 100 km per hour Whereas, the airplanes were flying at 700 or 800 or 1,000 km per hour. It was difficult to get Helium gas and in bad weather, airships were more vulnerable. This is why people of our generation neither travelled in these airships nor saw them.
It is very unfortunate because the experience of travelling in them was very different. Flying slowly at a low altitude, and with such big windows, what a view it must’ve been!
