List of defunct airlines of South Africa

This is a list of defunct airlines of South Africa.^[1]^[2]

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Airline	IATA	ICAO	Callsign	Commenced operations	Ceased operations	Notes
1
1time	T6	RNX	NEXTTIME	2004	2012	Placed under provisional liquidation. Operated 11 McDonnell Douglas MD-80.
A
ACE Express				1996	1997	Merged into Express Air Services^[3]
ACORN Air				1990	1990	Operated BAe 146-200^[4]
Advanced Aviation Logistics				1990	1990	Rebranded as Aerios Global Aviation^[5]
Aero Air Charter				1995	2001	Eyethu Air Cargo merged in 1999^[6]
Aerolift				2002	2009	^[7]
Aerospace Express				1996	2004	Operated HS 748^[8]
Africa Cargo Air				1996	2001	Operated Douglas C-54^[9]
Africa Charter Airlines		FSK	AFRICAN SKY	1997	2000	^[10]
Africair				1946	1977	Formed by the merger of Anglo Vaal Air Services and Africair Servicing. Operated Douglas DC-3, Douglas DC-4^[11]
Africair Servicing				1946	1946	Merged with Anglo Vaal Air Services to form Africair. Operated Douglas DC-3^[12]
African Air Carriers				1983	1984	^[13]
African Airline Investments		LGE		2010	2010
African Cargo Airlines				1997	1999	Operated Antonov An-32^[14]
African International Airways		AIN	FLY CARGO	1985	2008
African Star Airways	4M	ASG	AFRICAN STAR	1998	2000	Operated Boeing 747
Africargo Airlines				1998	1998	Established as Transoceanic Airways^[15]
Afro Cargo				1986	1987	Operated Sud Aviation Caravelle^[16]
Air Cape				1963	1988	Acquired by Safair^[17]
Air Lowveld	LE			1971	1978	Merged with Avna Airlines and Mafeking Aviation Services to form Magnum Airlines^[18]
Air Midlands				1971	1978	Merged into Airlink Airlines. Operated Cessna 402^[19]
Aircraft Operating Company of Africa				1962	1980	Operated Lockheed Lodestar, Douglas DC-3^[20]
Airlink Airline	5T	LNK		1992	1994	Renamed to Airlink
AirQuarius Air Charter		AQU	QUARIUS	2001	2007	Established as AirQuarius Aviation. Renamed to Branson Air^[21]
AirQuarius Aviation		AQU SSN	QUARIUS	1999	2001	Renamed to AirQuarius Air Charter^[22]
AirWorld				1996	2003	Operated Boeing 727, Douglas DC-3^[23]
Alliance Air	Y2	AFJ	JAMBO	1995	2000	Ran at a loss, last flight October 8, 2000. Joint venture between South African Airways, Tanzania and Uganda.
Alpha Airways				1947	1947	^[24]
Alpine Aviation		LPC		1996	2010	Operated Bell 206, Bell 407, AS350, Robinson R22, Robinson R44^[25]
Anglo Vaal Air Services				1946	1946	Became Africair after merging with Africair Servicing. Operated Douglas DC-3^[26]
ATAIR Executive Jet Charters				1980	1998	Operated Beech Super King Air, Cessna Citation V^[27]
Avia Air				1994	1995	Went bankrupt. Operated Boeing 747SP, Douglas DC-3, Douglas DC-6^[28]
Avia Airlines	GW	AGW	AVIAN	1995	1996	^[29]
Avna Airlines	WU			1976	1978	Merged with Air Lowveld and Mafeking Aviation Services to form Magnum Airlines^[30]
Avna Airways				1965	1968	Renamed to Avna^[31]
B
Bazaruto Air Charter				1990	1992	Operated Douglas C-47^[32]
Bop Air	BV	MAW		1979	1994	Rebranded as Sun Air. Operatede Embraer Bandeirante, Embraer Brasilia
Border Air				1966	1980	To Link Airways. Operated Beech Baron, Cessna 402^[33]
Branson Air		AQU		2007	2012	Established as AirQuarius Aviation in 1999.^[34]
C
Cape Atlantic Air		CAO		1995	1996	^[35]
Caprivi Airways				1968	1981	Renamed to African Air Carriers
Care Airlines	CE			1992	1996	Air ambulance services. Renamed to Nationwide Airlines. Operated Hawker Siddeley 748^[36]
Carpenter's Charter				1995	2000	^[37]
Charlan Air Charter	S8	CAH	CHARLAN	2000	2006	Operated Swearingen Merlin IV, Embraer Brasilia^[38]
CHC Air				2002	2008	Operated Convair 580^[39]
Ciskei International Airways	CC			1988	1989	Operated Convair 880, Convair 990^[40]
Citi Air				1985	1987	To Link Airways. Operated Cessna 310, Cessna 402, Piper Chieftain, Piper Cherokee Six^[41]
Civair Airways		CIW	CIVFLIGHT	2004	2004	Operated Boeing 747^[42]
Collondale Air Service				1959	1968	Founded by Kenneth Brown. Operated Cessna 175, Cessna 206, Piper Colt, Piper Cherokee Six^[43]
Comair (South Africa)	MN	CAW	COMMERCIAL	1943	2022	Was placed under liquidation. Operated 12 Boeing 737.
Comair Charters (Natal)				1989	1993	Rebranded Federal Air^[44]
Command Airways	CT	CAH	COMMAND	1977 1980	1979 1981	Rebranded as Magnum Airlines Helicopters in 1979 and back Command Airways in 1980
Commercial Air Services				1946	1967	Rebranded Comair. Operated Douglas DC-3, Fairchild 24^[45]
Compion Aviation				2003	2014	Operated Beech 1900, Cessna Citation I^{[citation needed]}
Court Air		CUT	COURT AIR	1990s	1990s	Operated Convair 580^[46]
D
Debon-Air				1992	2002	^[47]
Durban Flying Service				1940s	1940s	^[48]
E
Eastern Air	KV	TAK		1995	1997	Operated Let Turbolet^[49]
Eastern Air Services				1980	1982	Rebranded as Eastern Airlines. Operated BAC 1-11, Beech Baron, Beech King Air^[50]
Eastern Airlines				1982	1994	Established as Eastern Air Services. Operated Beech Baron^[51]
ELB Flying Services				1976	2000	Operated Aero Commander 695, Cessna 525^[52]
Emric Air Services	MC			1969	1979	Merged into Magnum Airlines. Operated BN-2 Islander^[53]
Exclusive Air				1986	1994	^[54]
Executive Aerospace		EAS	AEROSPACE	1984	2008
Executive Turbine Air Charter		TEA		2001	2011
Express Air Services		FLN		1996	2001	To BidAir Cargo^[55]
Eyethu Air Cargo				1997	1999	Acquired by Aero Air Charter. Operated Douglas DC-3, Douglas DC-4^[56]
F
Flitestar	GM	TKE		1991	1994	Operated Airbus A320, ATR 72^[57]
Fly Blue Crane	7B	FCO	BLUE CRANE	2015	2017	Entered business rescue on 3 February 2017
Fly Titan				2018	2019	Operated BAe Jetstream, Beech King Air, Beech 1900, Cessna Grand Caravan, Embraer Brasilia, Embraer Bandeirante, Pilatus PC-12^[58]
Forest Airlines		FOL	FORESTAIR	1993	1994	Operated Piper Seneca, Piper Chieftain, Cessna 401^[59]
Foster Webb Air Charter				1982	1998	Operated Piper Chieftain^[60]
G
Gauteng Air Cargo				1996	1998	Operated Boeing 707-320C^[61]
George Air				1965	1966	Founded by J. E. J. Coetzer & Pat McClure ^[62]
Giyani Airways				1974	1994	Merged with Letaba Airways to form Phoenix Airways. Operated Fairchild Metro^[63]
Griekwalug				1960s	1960s	Charter operator based in Kimberley Airport^[64]
Grinair				1971	1976	Operated Douglas DC-3^[65]
H
Haller Aviation				1946	1947	Merged with Sharwoods Flying Services to form Southern Aviation. Operated Aeronca Sedan^[66]
Hawkair				1960s	1960s	Acquired by Interstate Air Services. Operated Beech Baron, Beech Bonanza, Beech Debonair, Auster Autocar^[67]
Hydro Air Cargo		HYC		2000	2003	Ceased operations after their only Boeing 747 was destroyed in a landing accident at Lagos
I
Impala Air Cargo	PH	IPL		1992	1995	^[68]
Imperial Air Cargo				2006	2014	Airline acquired by BidAir Cargo
Intensive Air	IM	XRA		1993	2002	Operated HS 748, Fokker F28^[69]
Inter Air Lines				1979	1994	Renamed to Interair South Africa^[70]
Interair South Africa	D6	ILN	INLINE	1993	2015
Interlink Airlines	ID	ITK	INTERLINK	1997	2010	Went into liquidation on 2 March 2010
International Air				1960s	1960s	Operated Bristol Britannia^[71]
Interstate Air Services				1963	1979	Formed by the merger of Vaal Air Service and MS Air. Renamed to Interair. Operated Beech Bonanza, Cessna 402, de Havilland Dove^[72]
K
Kulula.com	MN	CAW	COMMERCIAL	2001	2022	Part of Comair. Operated 10 Boeing 737.
L
Ladysmith Air Charters				1960s	1960s	Renamed to Tugela Air Services^[73]
Letaba Airways	LK			1974	1979	Merged with Giyani Airways to form Phoenix Airways^[74]
Lima-Kilo (Edms)				1983	1985	Renamed to Metavia Airlines. Operated Aero Commander 690^[75]
Loex Air Cargo				1993	1995	Taken-over by Romoco Cargo. Operated Antonov An-12^[76]
Lowveld Aviation Services				1976	1980	Merged with Citi Air, Border Air, Magnum Airlines to form Link Airways (South Africa)^[77]
Luft Afrique				1997	2000	Established as Valitrade. Renamed to Luft Cargo^[78]
Luft Cargo		LUT	LUGO	2000	2002	Renamed from Luft Afrique. Operated Fokker F27^[79]
M
Madiba Air				1999	1999	Operated Grumman Gulfstream^[80]
Mafeking Aviation Services				1976	1978	Merged with Air Lowveld and Avna Airlines to form Magnum Airlines^[81]
Mafiking Air Services				1978	1979	Established by the government of Bophuthatswana. Renamed to Mmabatho Air Service. Operated Cessna aircraft^[82]
Magnum Airlines				1978	1979	Merged with Citi Air, Border Air, Lowveld Aviation Services to form Link Airways^[83]
Magnum Airlines				1978	1990	Formed by the merger of Air Lowveld, Avna Airlines, Mafeking Aviation Services. Operated Beech Baron, Beech Queen Air, BN-2 Islander, Trislander, Cessna 402, Piper Cherokee Six, Swearingen Metroliner^[84]
Magnum Airlines Helicopters				1979	1980	Established as Command Airways in 1977. Renamed to Command Airways^[85]
Majuba Aviation				2003	2012	Operated Pilatus PC-12^[86]
Malherbe and Kiesewetter				1940s	1940s	^[87]
Mallel Airline Services				1995	1995	Operated Lockheed L-188^[88]
Mango	JE	MNO	TULCA	2003	2021	Part of South African Airways. Operated 14 Boeing 737.
Margate Air Services	OJ			1978	1985	Renamed to Citi Air. Operated BN-2 Islander^[89]
Mercury Aviation Services				1946	1948	Operated Douglas DC-3^[90]
Metavia Airlines	OW	MNK	VIAMET	1985	1998	Established as Lima-Kilo (Edms). Acquired by SA Airlink. Operated Let Turbolet^[91]
Midlands Aviation	5T			1967	1995	Acquired by Airlink^[92]
Million Air Aviation				1986	1994	Renamed to Million Air Charter^[93]
Million Air Charter		ZSM		1994	2004	Rebranded as Egoli Air. Operated Antonov An-32, Boeing 727, Douglas DC-9, Learjet 23^[94]
Mmabatho Air Service				1979	1986	Established as Mafiking Air Services. Renamed to Bop Air^[95]
N
Namakwaland Lugdiens	NJ	NLD	NOVEMBER JULIETT	1961	1989	National Airlines merged in. Operated Beech Bonanza, Douglas DC-3, Piper Aztec^[96]
Natal (National Airlines)	NF			1946	1979	^[97]
Natal Aviation Company				1920	1924	^[98]
National Air Cargo				2005	2008	^[99]
National Air Charters				1946	1963	Renamed to National Airways Corporation^[100]
Nationwide Air Charter				1991	1995	Renamed to Nationwide Airlines^[101]
Nationwide Airlines	CE	NTW	NATIONWIDE	1991	2008
Naturelink Aviation		NRK	NATURELINK	1997	2011	Merged into National Airways Corporation
Nelair Charters		NLC	NELAIR	1980	1986	Operated Douglas DC-3^[102]
NN Charters				1981	1998	Founded by J.A. Smith. Operated Piper Seneca, Piper Navajo^[103]
Noord Weste Lugdiens				1963	1965	Operated Cessna 172, Piper Super Cub^[104]
North Atlantic Airways		NAA		1998	1999	Operated Boeing 747-200^[105]
O
O.F.S. Air Services				1953	1969	Operated Tiger Moth, de Havilland Dragon Rapide^[106]
Oribi Air				1975	1975	To Avna Rennies Airlines^[107]
Oriole Express				1980	1996	Operated Douglas C-47^{[citation needed]}
P
Pacair				1968	1970	To National. Operated Cessnas aircraft^[108]
Pan African Air Charter				1946	1953	Owned by the Keyser and Cowan families. Operated Douglas C-47^[109]
Pelican Air Services	7V	PDF		2002	2011
Pesloed Flights				1989	1990	Operated Douglas C-47^[110]
Phalaborwa Air Services				1970s	1970s	To Comair (South Africa)^[111]
Phoenix Airlines				1950s	1950s	Operated Douglas DC-2^[112]
Phoenix Airways			PHOENIX	1994	1995
Pretoria Air Services				1997	2000	Operated Douglas C-47, Pilatus PC-6^[113]
Progress Air Charter				2003	2009	Operated Swearingen Metroliner^[114]
Protea Airways				1961	1977	Established as Volkslugdiens. Operated Dornier Do 27, Dornier Do 28, Vickers VC.1 Viking^[115]
Q
Qwila Air		QWL		2002	2009	Operated Beech 1900
R
Rennies Air				1974	1975	Merged with Avna and Oribi Air to form Avna Rennies Airlines. Operated BN-2 Islander, Piper Navajo, Cessna 402^[116]
Romoco Cargo				1994	1997	Operated Ilyushin Il-76^[117]
Ross-Thompson Aircraft Company				1921	1924	Founded by C. G. Ross and C. R. Thompson. Operated Avro 504K^[118]
Rossair Executive Air Charter		RSS	ROSS CHARTER	1956	2005
Rovos Air	6P	VOS	ROVOS	2001	2014
Ryan Blake Air Charter				2000	2006	Operated Fairchild Metro III, Swearingen Metro II^[119]
S
SA Airlink	5T;4Z	LNK	Airlink AL	1994	1998	renamed/merged to South African Airlink
Skywise	C9	SWZ	SKYWISE	2013	2015	Operations halted November 10, 2015
South African Express	XZ	EXY	EXPRESSWAYS	1994	2020
South African Historic Flight		SYY		1991	2007	Rebranded as Skyclass
Stars Away Aviation		STX		2005	2013
Sun Air	BV	SNN	Southwestern Air Service	1994	1999	Absorbed by SAA and shut down
Sun Air	AQ	SJE		2001	2004	Rebranded as Millionair Aviation
T
Tramon Air		TMX	TRAMON	1995	2006
Trek Airways	JW	TKE	TREKAIR	1953	1994
U
Union Airways				1929	1934
V
Valan International Cargo Charter		VLA		2002	2007
Velvet Sky	VZ	VEL	VELVET	2010	2012	Went into liquidation May 7, 2012

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List of defunct airlines of South Africa

See also

References

Further reading

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