List of defunct airlines of Australia

This is a list of defunct airlines of Australia.^[1]

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Airline	Image	IATA	ICAO	Callsign	Commenced operations	Ceased operations	Notes
A
Aboriginal Air Services		I8			2000	2006
Ad Astral Aviation		AT			1986	2016
Adastra Aerial Surveys					1944	1973	Founded by Frank William Follett. Acquired by East-West Airlines. Operated de Havilland Fox Moth, Lockheed Hudson, de Havilland Dragonfly, Douglas C-47A^[2]
Adelaide Airways					1935	1957	Formed by the Adelaide Steamship Company. Merged with the Orient Steam Navigation Company and the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand Limited in 1936 to form Australian National Airways (ANA)
Advance Airlines		DR			1974	1981
Aero-Tropics Air Services		HC	ATI		1999	2008
Aeropelican		OT	PEL	PELICAN	1971	2013	Former staff of Aeropelican went on to establish FlyPelican using the former Aeropelican fleet. Operated Cessna 402, de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter, Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante, Swearingen Metroliner
Air Australia		VC	AGC	STRATEGIC	2008	2012	Formed as Strategic Airlines. Operated Airbus A320-200, Airbus A330-200
Air Beef					1949	1962	Formed as a consortium of Australian National Airways and MacRobertson Miller Airlines to transport beef. Operated Bristol Freighter, Lockheed 10, Douglas DC-3^[3]
Air Kangaroo Island		UV			1990	1996	Operated DHC-6 Twin Otter, Short 330^[4]
Air Queensland		QN	AQN	BUSHAIR	1981	1988	Absorbed into Australian Airlines
Aircrafts [sic] Pty					1928	1948	Formed by John Ronald Shafto Adair. Operated Avro Avian, Waco 10, de Havilland DH.60 Moth, de Havilland Hawk Moth^[5]
Airlines of New South Wales		WX		NEWSOUTH	1959	1993	Absorbed into Ansett
Airlines of Northern Australia		BT			1982	1985	Operated Fokker F27, Fokker F28^[6]
Airlines of South Australia		GJ		ALSA	1960	1986	Subsidiary of Ansett Australia
Airlines of South Australia		RT	LRT		1987	2006	Independent airline formed by a merger of Lincoln Airlines and Augusta Airways
Airlines of Western Australia		MV	AWA	AIRWA	1981	1984	Operated Fokker F28^[7]
AirSwift Aviation					2000	2007	Merged into Skytrans Airlines^[8]
Airtex Aviation					1982	2010
Albatross Airlines		UX			1979	1998	^[9]
Ansett Air Freight					1989	2000
Ansett Australia		AN	AAA	ANSETT	1936	2002
Ansett Express		WX	NSW	NEWSOUTH	1959	1993	Operated Aérospatiale N 262, Fokker F28, Fokker 50, DHC-6 Twin Otter^{[citation needed]}
Arkaroola					1968	1973	Renamed Science Aids. Operated Cessna 206^[10]
Asian Express Airlines		HJ	AXF		1996	2008	Renamed from Premier Airlines in 1996 and rebranded as Tasman Cargo Airlines in 2008
Associated Airlines					1938	2000	Air services on behalf of Consolidated Zinc and BHP. Operated de Havilland Heron, Grumman Gulfstream^[11]
Augusta Airways		BH			1983	1998	Acquired Lincoln Airlines and renamed Airlines of South Australia. Operated Aero Commander 500^[12]
Aus-Air		NO	AUS	AUS-AIR	1956	1999
Australia Asia Airlines		IM	AAU	AUSTASIA	1990	1996	Subsidiary of Qantas
Australian Air Charterers					1956	1982	Renamed Aus-Air. Operated Piper Navajo, Piper Apache, Piper Twin Comanche, Piper Cherokee Six^{[citation needed]}
Australian airExpress		XM	XME	QANTAS	1992	2013	^[13]
Australian Airlines (1986-1993)		TN	AUS	AUSTRALIAN	1986	1993	Operated Airbus A300B4, Airbus A320, Boeing 727, Boeing 737-300, BAe Jetstream 31, DHC Dash 8 Douglas DC-9^[14]
Australian Airlines		AO	AUZ	AUSTRALIAN	2002	2006	Subsidiary of Qantas
Australian National Airways					1930	1931
Australian National Airways (ANA)					1936	1957	Sold to Ansett Airways and they merged to form Ansett-ANA
Australian Regional Airlines of Queensland					1988	1993	Was a subsidiary of Australian Airlines. Operated DHC Dash 8, DHC-6 Twin Otter, Fokker F27^[15]
B
BackpackersXpress					2005		Not launched
Bonza		AB	BNZ	BONZA	2023	2024	Operated Boeing 737-8^[16]
Brindabella Airlines		FQ	BRI	BRINDABELLA	1994	2013
British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines					1946	1954	Taken over by Qantas
Bush Pilots Airways		QN	AQN	BUSHAIR	1951	1981	Became BPA then renamed Air Queensland in 1981
Butler Air Transport					1934	1959	Absorbed into Ansett as Airlines of New South Wales
C
Carnarvon Air Taxis					1963	1979	Renamed Skywest Airlines^[17]
Charter Cruise Air					1983	1994	Renamed Aircruising Australia. Operated Fokker F27 Friendship^[18]
Coastal Airways					1962	1984	Absorbed into Ansett
Commodore Airlines					1979	1985	Operated Short 360^[19]
Compass Airlines		YM	CYM	COMPAIR	1990	1991	Operated Airbus A300-600, Airbus A310-200
Compass Airlines MkII		YM	CYM		1992	1993	Formed as Southern Cross Airlines, and purchased the name and "goodwill" of the original Compass Airlines (Australia). Operated McDonnell Douglas MD-80#MD-82, McDonnell Douglas MD-80#MD-83
Connair (Australia)		CK			1970	1979	Established as Connellan Airways in 1943. Renamed Northern Airlines. Operated Douglas DC-3^[20]
Connellan Airways		CX			1939	1980	Acquired by East-West-Airlines
D
E
East-West Airlines		EW	EWA	EASTWEST	1947	1993	Absorbed into Ansett
Eastland Air		DK	ELA		1991	2003
Emu Airways		TL			1970	2005
F
Flight West		YC	FWQ	UNITY	1987	2001	Sold to Queensland Aviation Holdings
Flinders Island Airways					1932	1933	Merged with Holyman's Airways to form Tasmanian Aerial Services^[21]
Fly Corporate		FC			2016	2020	Rebranded as Link Airways^[22]
G
Global Air			GAG	GLOBAL AIRGROUP	1997	2005	Operated Boeing 747SP
Golden Eagle Airlines
Great Western Aviation					1998	2006
Guinea Airways					1927	1959	Renamed Airlines of South Australia. Operated de Havilland DH.37, Airco DH.9, Junkers W 34, de Havilland DH.60 Moth, Westland Widgeon, Junkers F 13, de Havilland Fox Moth^[23]
H
Hart Aircraft Service					1929	1938	Sold to Victorian & Interstate Airways
Hazelton Airlines		ZL	HZL	HAZELTON	1953	2001	Acquired by Australiawide Airlines and merged with Kendell Airlines to form Rex Airlines
Holden's Air Transport					1928	1936	Founded by Les Holden. Operated de Havilland DH.60 Moth, de Havilland Giant Moth, Avro Avian^[24]^[25]
Holyman's Airways					1934	1936	Merged with Adelaide Airways and West Australian Airways to form Australian National Airways^[26]
Horizon Airlines		BN	HZA	HORIZ AIR	1999	2004	Established as International Aviation in 1998. Acquired by Macair Airlines. Operated Hawker Siddeley HS 748, Short Skyvan, Swearingen Metroliner
I
Impulse Airlines		VQ	IPU	IMPULSE	1992	2004	Absorbed into QantasLink, Operated Beechcraft C99, Beechcraft 1900D, British Aerospace Jetstream 41, Hawker Siddeley HS 748, Boeing 717
Inland Pacific Air					1993	2007	Acquired by Skytrans Airlines. Operated DHC-6 Twin Otter, Swearingen Merlin II^[27]
IPEC		IN	IPA		1976	1993	Renamed Independent Air Freighters
J
Janami Air					1982	1999	Merged into Aboriginal Air Services. Operated Cessna Grand Caravan^[28]
Jetcraft Air Cargo			JCC	JETCRAFT	1989	2008	Renamed Toll Priority. Operated Fairchild Metroliner^[29]
JetGo		JG	JGO	JETGO	2011	2018
K
Kendell Airlines		KD	KDA	KENDELL	1971	2002	Acquired by Australiawide Airlines and merged with Hazelton Airlines to form Rex Airlines
L
Lincoln Airlines		RT	LRT		1987	1998	Renamed Augusta Airways. Operated Embraer Bandeirante^[30]
Lip-Air					1997	1999	Renamed Aero-Tropics Air Services. Operated Aero Commander 500^[31]
Lloyd Aviation	.			QUEENSLAND	1969	1990	Operated Embraer Bandeirante, Mohawk 298, Fokker F28-4000, Cessna 500, CASA C-212, Short 330
M
MacAir Airlines		CC	MCK	MACAIR	1996	2009
MacRobertson Miller Airlines (MMA)		MV		MILLER	1927	1981	In 1963 became a division of Ansett Transport Industries and was renamed MacRobertson Miller Airline Services. Renamed Airlines of Western Australia in 1981.
McKinlay Air Charter					1992	2000	Renamed MacAir Airlines in May 1998
Murray Valley Airlines					1979	1986	Operated Short 360, Piper Chieftain^[32]
N
National Jet Systems		NC	NJS		1990	2009	Renamed Cobham Aviation Services Australia^[33]
New England Airways					1931	1935	Floated as Airlines of Australia in 1935
Newcastle Aviation					1994	1995	Acquired by Pel-Air^[34]
Ngaanyatjarra Air					1982	1999	Merged into Aboriginal Air Services. Operated Cessna 208 Caravan^[35]
Ngurratjuta Air					1987	1999	Merged into Aboriginal Air Services. Operated Cessna 208 Caravan, Cessna 210^[36]
Noosa Air		OF			1975	1983	Established as Whitaker Pty in 1970. Merged into Sunstate Airlines^[37]
Norfolk Air		N5	NFK	NORFIK AIR	2006	2011
Norfolk Airlines		UG	NIA		1988	1991	Established as Norfolk Island Airlines^[38]
Norfolk Island Airlines		UG	NIA		1973	1992
Norfolk Island Airlines					2017	2018	Used Nauru Airlines aircraft
Norfolk Jet Express		YE			1997	2005
North Queensland Airways					1936	1938
Northern Airlines					1979	1981	Established as Connair in 1970^[39]
O
O'Connor Airlines		UQ	OCM	OCONNOR	1973	2007
Oxley Airlines		VQ			1974	1994	Founded by Brian Peel. Acquired by Impulse Airlines. Operated Beech King Air, Beech 99, Beech 1900, Embraer Bandeirante, Piper Navajo^[40]
OzJet		O7	OZJ	AUSJET	2005	2012
P
Pacific Air Express		PE	PAQ	SOLPAC	1993	2021
Premiair Aviation					1967	1982	Founded by Don Kendell. Renamed Kendell Airlines^[41]
Premier Airlines					1994	1996	Renamed Asian Express Airlines. Operated Boeing 727-100 on behalf of DHL Aviation^[42]
Promair					1989	1993	Operated Piper Navajo^[43]
PY Air					1982	1999	Merged into Aboriginal Air Services. Operated Embraer Bandeirante^[44]
Q
Qantas Empire Airways					1934	1967	Renamed Qantas^[45]
Queensland Airlines					1949	1958	Acquired by Ansett. Operated Handley Page Dart Herald, Piaggio P.166^[46]
Queensland Pacific Airlines					1988	1991
Queensland Pacific Airways					1971	1972	Absorbed by Bush Pilots Airways
Queensland Regional Airlines		Q7			2003	2007
Qwestair					1989	1995	Subsidiary of Pel-Air. Operated Beech Super King Air^[47]
R
Regional Pacific Airlines		QT			2001	2010
RegionalLink Airlines					2004	2006	Formed by the merger of Emu Airways and Airnorth^[48]
Rossair		RF			1982	1988	Merged with Airnorth and Tillair to form Air North International^[49]
Rossair Charter			RFS		1963	2017	^[50]
S
Seaplane Safaris					2004	2006	Merged with Sydney Harbour Seaplanes and Southern Cross Seaplane to form Sydney Seaplanes. Operated DHC-2 Beaver, Cessna 185^[51]
Seawing Airways					2004	2006	Operated DHC-2 Beaver^[52]
Singleton Air Services					1980	1988	Founded by Paul Rees. Renamed Yanda Airlines. Operated Cessna 402^[53]
SkyAirWorld		S9	SYW	SKY AIR	2006	2009
Skymaster Air Services					2007	2010	Operated Piper PA-31P-350 Mojave^[54]
Skyport					1975	1993	Integrated into Airnorth^[55]
Skytrans Regional		Q6	SKP		2007	2015	Peter Collings and Johnathan Thurston re-launched Skytrans^[56]
Skywest Airlines		XR	OZW		1980	2013	Established as Carnarvon Air Taxis in 1963. Rebranded as Virgin Australia Regional Airlines^[57]
Slingair Heliworks					1984	2013	Renamed Aviair^[58]
Somerset Airways					1950	1963	Taken over by Bush Pilots Airways. Operated Auster J-1N Alpha, Beech Bonanza^[59]^[60]
Southern Australia Airlines					1992	2002	Established in 1981 as Sunstate Airlines. Merged into Qantas. Operated BAe 146^[61]
Southern Cross Airlines					1992	1993	Renamed Compass Airlines (Australia) prior to starting operations. Refer to Compass Airlines MkII (Australia) for operated fleet.
Southern Cross Airways		YK			1978	1982	Established as Air Charter Tours in 1970. Operated Beech Queen Air, Cessna 402^[62]
Southern Pacific Regional Airlines					1991	1993	Operated Frakes Mohawk^[63]
Stillwell Airlines					1937	1942	Established as Civil Flying Services in 1960. Acquired by Skywest Airlines (Australia). Operated Fairchild Metroliner^[64]
Sungold Airlines					1986	1989	Acquired by Queensland Pacific Airlines. Operated BN-2 Islander, Partenavia P.68^[65]
Sunshine Express Airlines		CQ	EXL		1998	2006	Ceased all scheduled operations. Charter only.
Survey & Inland Transportation					1939	1943	Founded by Edward Connellan. Renamed Connellan Airways^[66]
Sydney Harbour Seaplanes					1993	2006	Took over Aquatic Air. To Sydney Seaplanes. Operated DHC-2 Beaver^[67]
T
Tamair		GG	TMR		1950	1998	Established as Tamworth Air Taxi Service in 1949. Renamed Eastern Australia Airlines. Operated Piper Chieftain, Cessna 310, Cessna 152^[68]
Tasair		TA			1998	2012
Tasmanian Aerial Services					1933	1933	Formed by the merger of Flinders Island Airways and Holyman's Airways^[69]
Tasmanian Airways					1926	1935
Tigerair Australia		TT	TGG	TIGOZ	2007	2020	Acquired in stages by Virgin Australia Holdings between 2012 and 2014. Brand retired in 2020.
Tillair					1983	1988	Merged with Airnorth and Tillair to form Air North International^[70]
Trans Australia Airlines		TN	TAA	TRANSAIR	1946	1994	Rebranded as Australian Airlines in 1986. Acquired by Qantas in 1992. Brand retired.
Trans Regional Airlines					1982	1982	Operated Embraer Bandeirante^[71]
Trans-West Air Charter					1967	1979	Renamed Transwest Airlines. Operated BN-2 Islander, Beech King Air, De Havilland DHA-3 Drover, Piper Apache^[72]
Transair		JT			2002	2006
Transtate Airlines					1996	2000	Operated Embraer Bandeirante, DHC-6 Twin Otter^{[citation needed]}
Transwest Airlines					1979	1982	Established as Trans-West Air Charter in 1967. Acquired by Skywest Airlines (Australia). Operated BN-2 Islander, Beech King Air, Beech Baron, Cessnas^[73]
U
V
V Australia		VA	VAU	VEE-OZ	2009	2011	^[74]
Vincent Aviation Australia		BF	VIN		2004	2014
W
West Australian Airways					1921	1936	Purchased by Adelaide Airways
Whitaker Pty					1970	1975	Renamed Noosa Air^[75]
X
Y
Yanda Airlines		YE			1988	2001

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List of defunct airlines of Australia

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