Before the Second World War, British airline Imperial Airways had successfully used large long-range passenger flying boats such as the Short Empire and Short S.26 to build up a network of long-distance routes. These flying boats had not only pioneered new aerial routes across the British Empire which had previously not been served at all, passengers were transported within an unprecedented level of comfort, being provided with luxurious first class accommodation, including a promenade, sizable galley, separate bathrooms for men and women, and individual cabins for passengers. However, operations of these flying boats had been disrupted by wartime, during which Imperial Airways had also merged with British Airways Ltd to form British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) in 1940. While restricted operations of commercial flying boats did continue, such as the use of Boeing 314s for the transatlantic route, many were requisitioned for service with the Royal Air Force (RAF) where they were typically used as maritime patrol aircraft.