Flight West Airlines

Last updated

Flight West Airlines
Flight West Airlines logo.png
IATA ICAO Callsign
YCFWQUNITY
FoundedMay 1987 (1987-05)
Ceased operations19 June 2001 (2001-06-19)
Headquarters Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Key peopleSir Dennis Buchanan (MBE)
Website Archived Home Page

Flight West Airlines was an Australian regional airline headquartered in Brisbane, Queensland. [1] Established in May 1987, it operated predominantly in Queensland. The airline went into voluntary liquidation on 19 June 2001 before being sold to Queensland Aviation Holdings, the parent company of Alliance Airlines in April 2002. The company slogan is Jetting into new territory.

Contents

History

Flight West Airlines was established by Sir Dennis Buchanan [2] in 1987 to operate subsidised passenger services to remote communities on Queensland Government contracts.

Initially, the airline used Beechcraft Super King Air aircraft on these services from a base in Brisbane [3] and then quickly expanded, adding DHC-6 Twin Otters and an EMB 110 to the fleet. A second base was established in Cairns. It was soon operating the most extensive network of routes throughout regional Queensland.

From bases in Brisbane, Townsville and Cairns it served major cities and small regional communities throughout the state including communities on Cape York Peninsula and in the Torres Strait, major coastal cities and islands, and cities and towns in western Queensland.

The airline was affiliated with (but independent of) Ansett Australia airlines [3] which ceased operations on 14 September 2001. Before entering liquidation in June 2001, Flight West serviced 34 destinations and employed over 420 staff. [3]

Collapse

On 16 June 2001, the airline was placed into voluntary liquidation and PricewaterhouseCoopers was appointed to manage the company. Ansett announced on 27 June that they would lease eight of the company's aircraft and restart 16 routes effective immediately. [4] On 13 September 2001, Ansett itself collapsed, again halting Flight West services. After extensive restructuring, the airline was offered for sale on 29 September 2001. [5] In an effort to revitalise the airline, the Australian Government announced on 6 November that they would underwrite the airline's operating costs for three months. The airline began flights between Gladstone and Brisbane on 17 November 2001. [6] After the airline failed to sell, it was placed into Voluntary Administration on 4 December 2001. [7]

On 16 April 2002, it was announced that Queensland Aviation Holdings had purchased Flight West Airlines and intended to restructure the company under a new name, Alliance Airlines. Most of the assets of Flight West including the Fokker jets were purchased and the Embraer EMB 120s were sold. Alliance Airlines operated the Fokker 100s on selected charter routes from Brisbane, Townsville and Mount Isa for a period of time before suspending these regular services and operating ad hoc charter services.

Fleet

One of Flight West's Brasilias at Brisbane Airport in December 1999. Flight West EMB-120.jpg
One of Flight West's Brasilias at Brisbane Airport in December 1999.
Fokker F28 in July 2000, acquired from Ansett Australia in 1997. Flight West Fokker 28 CNS King.jpg
Fokker F28 in July 2000, acquired from Ansett Australia in 1997.

In the mid 1990s, the fleet was composed of Beechcraft King Airs, DHC-6 Twin Otters, de Havilland Canada Dash 8s, Embraer EMB 110s and EMB 120s. By the late 1990s the airline had disposed of the Twin Otters and EMB 110s. It acquired Jetstream J32s and jet aircraft in the form of three ex-Ansett Fokker F28s followed shortly after by two newer Fokker 100s.

At the suspension of services, Flight West operated a mixed fleet of 16 jet and turboprop aircraft: [8]

AircraftIn fleetNotes
Jetstream 32ER 4
Embraer 120ER Brasilia 7
Fokker F28-4000 3
Fokker 100 2

Destinations

Flight West operated 34 routes at the time its services were suspended. [3]

Over the airline's 14-year history, it travelled to destinations in Queensland, New South Wales, the Northern Territory and Norfolk Island including: Bamaga, Barcaldine, Bedourie, Birdsville, Blackwater, Boulia, Brisbane, Bundaberg, Cairns, Charleville, Coen, Cooktown, Doomadgee, Edward River, Emerald, Gladstone, Hervey Bay, Hughenden, Julia Creek, Kurumba, Kowanyama, Lockhart River, Longreach, Mackay, Mornington Island, Mount Isa, Normanton, Norfolk Island, Proserpine, Quilpie, Richmond, Rockhampton, Roma, Sydney, Thursday Island (Horn Island), Townsville, Weipa, Windorah and Winton. [9]

The Fokker jets were used on services linking Norfolk Island with Brisbane and Sydney and between Brisbane, Townsville, Gladstone, Longreach and Emerald.

In Brisbane, the airline operated from the Ansett Domestic terminal. In Cairns, the airline operated from its own terminal on the western side of the airport adjacent to the Captain Cook Highway for a short time before transferring its operations to the Ansett Terminal in the main terminal complex on the eastern side of the airport.

The Flight West base in Cairns was later sold to Transtate airlines.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trans Australia Airlines</span> Defunct airline of Australia (1946–1994)

Trans Australia Airlines (TAA), renamed Australian Airlines in 1986, was one of the two major Australian domestic airlines between its inception in 1946 and its merger with Qantas in September 1992. As a result of the "COBRA" project, the entire airline was rebranded Qantas about a year later with tickets stating in small print "Australian Airlines Limited trading as Qantas Airways Limited" until the adoption of a single Air Operator Certificate a few years later. At that point, the entire airline was officially renamed "Qantas Airways Limited" continuing the name and livery of the parent company with the only change being the change of by-line from "The Spirit of Australia" to "The Australian Airline" under the window line with the existing "Qantas" title appearing above.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air Vanuatu</span> Flag carrier of Vanuatu

Air Vanuatu is an airline with its head office in Air Vanuatu House, Port Vila, Vanuatu. It is Vanuatu's national flag carrier, operating to Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia and points in the South Pacific. Its main base is Bauerfield International Airport, Port Vila. In May 2024 the airline was placed into voluntary administration by the Government of Vanuatu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ansett Australia</span> Defunct domestic airline of Australia (1936–2002)

Ansett Australia was a major Australian airline group, based in Melbourne, Victoria. The airline flew domestically within Australia and from the 1990s to destinations in Asia. After operating for 65 years, the airline was placed into administration in 2001 following a financial collapse and subsequent organised liquidation in 2002, subject to deed of company arrangement. The last flight touched down on 5 March 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gold Coast Airport</span> Airport in Queensland, Australia

Gold Coast Airport is a domestic and international Australian airport located at the southern end of the Gold Coast and approximately 90 km (56 mi) south of Brisbane, within the South East Queensland agglomeration. The entrance to the airport is situated in the suburb of Bilinga near Coolangatta. The main runway itself cuts through the state borders of Queensland and New South Wales. During summer, these states are in two different time zones. The Gold Coast Airport operates on Queensland Time.

Alliance Airlines Pty Limited is an Australian airline based at Brisbane Airport in Brisbane, Queensland, with operational bases in Adelaide, Cairns, Perth, Townsville, Darwin, and Rockhampton. Alliance Airlines owns and operates a fleet of Fokker and Embraer jet aircraft: Fokker 70, Fokker 100 and Embraer 190. Alliance runs fly-in fly-out (FIFO) air charter services for the Australian mining and resources industry, as well as private aircraft charters throughout Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and South East Asia. Alliance also provides aircraft component sales and leasing worldwide.

Skytrans is an airline and air charter business based in Cairns, Queensland. The airline operates RPT and charter services from Cairns, Horn Island, and Brisbane.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East-West Airlines (Australia)</span> Defunct regional airline of Australia (1947–1993)

East-West Airlines was an Australian regional airline founded in Tamworth, New South Wales in 1947. It operated to major regional city-centres and connected these centres to various state capitals, and by the 1980s it was Australia's third largest domestic airline. It also carried out its own heavy maintenance in Tamworth and operated a network of Travel Centres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MacRobertson Miller Airlines</span> Former airline company in Western Australia

MacRobertson Miller Airlines (MMA) was a Western Australian airline that operated between 1927 and 1993. After being purchased by Ansett Transport Industries in 1968, it was eventually rebranded Ansett WA.

QantasLink is a full-service, regional brand of Australian flag carrier Qantas and is an affiliate member of the Oneworld airline alliance. As of 2024, QantasLink provides over 2,000 flights each week to 61 metropolitan and regional destinations across Australia, as well as short-haul international services to New Zealand, Singapore, the Solomon Islands and East Timor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Townsville Airport</span> Airport in Queensland, Australia

Townsville Airport is a major Australian regional airport that services the city of Townsville, Queensland. The airport is also known as Townsville International Airport, and Garbutt Airport, a reference to its location in the Townsville suburb of Garbutt. Townsville Airport is serviced by major Australian domestic and regional airlines, and in 2011/12 handled 1.7 million passengers making it the 11th busiest airport in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mackay Airport</span> Airport in Mackay, Queensland

Mackay Airport located in South Mackay, Queensland, Australia is a major Australian regional airport that services the city of Mackay, with flights to the cities of Brisbane, Rockhampton, Townsville, Hamilton Island, Cairns, Sunshine Coast and Melbourne. In the year ending 30 June 2012, the airport handled 969,900 passengers making it the 14th busiest airport in Australia.

Sunstate Airlines is a subsidiary of Qantas which operates regional flights under the QantasLink banner throughout Queensland, and between Brisbane and Canberra. Its head office is in Mascot, New South Wales, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air Queensland</span> Formerly Bush Pilots Airways, an Australian airline which operated from 1951 until 1988

Air Queensland, formerly Bush Pilots Airways, was an Australian airline which operated from 1951 until 1988.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burnie Airport</span> Airport in Wynyard, Tasmania

Burnie Airport, also called Burnie Wynyard Airport or Wynyard Airport, is a regional airport located adjacent to the town of Wynyard, about 17 kilometres (11 mi) west of Burnie, Tasmania, Australia. Formally named the Wynyard Aerodrome, the first official opening occurred on 26 February 1934. The Burnie Airport is majority owned by the Burnie City Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hamilton Island Airport</span> Airport on Hamilton Island, Queensland, Australia

Hamilton Island Airport, also known as Great Barrier Reef Airport, is a privately owned public use aerodrome and is the main airport on Hamilton Island. The airport is settled on mostly reclaimed land and is commercially served year-round by Jetstar, Virgin Australia and Qantas. Hamilton Island Airport handles flights from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Gladstone Airport is an airport serving Gladstone, a city in the Australian state of Queensland. It is located in the suburb of Clinton, about 10 km (6.2 mi) from the town's centre, off Aerodrome Road.

Karratha Airport is an airport in Karratha, in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The airport is 14 km (8.7 mi) from Karratha and 5 nautical miles south of Dampier.

Virgin Australia Regional Airlines is an Australian regional airline based in Perth, servicing key towns in the state of Western Australia. The airline also flies interstate to destinations such as Adelaide, Darwin, Melbourne and Alice Springs. Formerly known as Skywest, in April 2013 the airline was purchased by Virgin Australia Holdings as its new regional offshoot. On 21 April 2020, Virgin Australia Regional Airlines' parent company, Virgin Australia Holdings went into voluntary administration due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">JetGo</span> Defunct airline of Australia (2011–2018)

JetGo was an Australian regional airline and air charter company based at Eagle Farm, Queensland near Brisbane Airport.

Lloyd Aviation was an Australian regional airline established in 1969. The airline ceased operations on 30 September 1990.

References

  1. ↑ "Flight West Home Page." Flight West. 16 May 2001. Retrieved on 6 September 2009.
  2. ↑ "Papua New Guinea Forum - Death Notice - Sir Dennis Buchanan". Archived from the original on 15 July 2011. Retrieved 6 September 2009.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "About Flight West Airlines." Flight West. 3 June 2001. Retrieved on 6 September 2009.
  4. ↑ "Ansett to fly west". The Daily Telegraph. 27 June 2001.
  5. ↑ "Airline for sale". The Dominion Post. 29 September 2001.
  6. ↑ "Bail-out for state airline". The Courier-Mail. 6 November 2001.
  7. ↑ "Flight West Lands in Voluntary Administration". The Australian. 4 December 2001.
  8. ↑ "Flight West Fleet of Aircraft." Flight West. 3 June 2001. Retrieved on 6 September 2009.
  9. ↑ "Flight West Routes." Flight West. 3 June 2001. Accessed 6 September 2009.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.