List of defunct airlines of New Zealand

This is a list of defunct airlines of New Zealand.^[1]^[2]

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Airline	IATA	ICAO	Callsign	Commenced operations	Ceased operations	Notes
A
Adastra Aviation				1966	1971	Established as Adastra in 1953. Acquired by James Aviation. Operated Cessna 185, Piper Apache^[3]
Aerial Charter (Southland)				1976	1982	Operated Piper Twin Comanche
Air Albatross				1981	1985	Operated Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner^[4]
Air Auckland		HKI	HAURAKI	2008	2023
Air Cargo New Zealand	KC	KIC		1997	1997	^[5]
Air Central (1982)				1982	1983	Founded by Peter Matich. Established as Air Central in 1966. Merged into Eagle Airways^[6]
Air Charter Timaru				1979	1980	Renamed Air Timaru^[7]
Air Coromandel				1993	2003	Merged into Great Barrier Airlines. Operated Cessna 172, Cessna 207, GAF Nomad, BN-2 Islander^[8]
Air Direct				1993	1998	Operated Piper Aztec
Air Discovery				2005	2012	Founded by David Irvine. Operated Piper Seneca, Piper Arrow, Cessna 172, Cessna 207
Air Freight NZ	OG	AFN	AIR FREIGHT	1989	2016
Air Hamilton				1981	1984	Founded by David Irvine. Operated Piper Seneca, Piper Arrow, Cessna 172, Beech Baron
Air Kaitaia				2000	2003	Subsidiary of Mountain Air. Operated BN-2 Islander, Piper Aztec^[9]
Air Kapiti				2002	2003	Operated Piper Chieftain^[10]
Air Marlborough				1992	1999	Founded by Allan Graham. Operated Piper Seneca, Piper Arrow, GAF Nomad^[11]
Air National		NTL	NATIONAL	1988	2011
Air Nelson	NZ	RLK	LINK	1979	2019	Merged into parent Air New Zealand
Air North	GD			1972	1977	Merged with Akarana Air to form Nationwide Air. Operated de Havilland Heron^[12]
Air North Shore				1970s	1993	Operated Cessna 172, Cessna 206, Piper Cherokee, Partenavia P.68
Air Post		PST	POST	1990	2013
Air Timaru				1980	1988	Established as Air Charter Timaru in 1979. Acquired by Air Safaris. Operated Piper Navajo^[13]
Air Tours Kaikoura				1997	1999	Established by the Kaikoura Aero Club. Merged with Whale Watch Air and renamed to Wings Over Whales. Operated GAF Nomad^[14]
Air Travel (NZ) Ltd				1934	1947
Air Wairarapa				2002	2003	Operated Piper Chieftain^[15]
Air West Coast				2002	2009
Air2there	F8	ATT	AIRTOTHERE	2004	2018	^[16]
Airland (NZ)				1963	1977	Crop dusting. Operated Douglas DC-3, Lockheed 18-56 Lodestar^[17]
Akarana Air				1972	1978	Established as Tasman Air Services in 1968. Merged with Air North to form Nationwide Air. Operated Piper Aztec^[18]
Alpine Air Services				2000	2005	Founded by Charles and Helen Thompson. Operated Piper Seneca, Cessna Skylane
Amphibian Airways				1951	1961	Merged into Ritchie Air Services. Operated Grumman Widgeon^[19]
Ansett New Zealand	ZQ	NZA	ANZA	1987	2000
Aotearoa Airlines				1997	1997	Founded by Steve and Donna Stanaway. Operated Piper Chieftain, Cessna Stationair^[20]
Ardmore Air Charter				1984	1986	Operated Partenavia P.68, Cessna Skyhawk
Arrow Aviation				1922	1923	Founded by Maurice ‘Buck’ Buckley. Operated Avro 504K^[21]
Aspiring Air	OI		ASPIRING	1974	2015
Associated Air				1982	1989	Founded by Harry Jenkins. Established as Associated Aviation in 1975. Renamed to Associated Airlines^[22]
Associated Air Charter				1979	1982	Founded by Harry Jenkins. Established as Associated Aviation in 1975. Renamed to Associated Air^[23]
Associated Airlines				1989	1998	Founded by Harry Jenkins. Established as Associated Aviation in 1975^[24]
Astral Air Services				1987	1991	Subsidiary of S. M. Andrews and Associates Ltd. Operated Dornier 228, Cessna Skyhawk^[25]
B
Bay of Plenty Airways				1958	1961	Founded by Alfred W. Bartlett. Established as Tauranga Air Services in 1956. Operated Cessna 182, de Havilland Dove, Aero Commander 680^[26]
Bell Air (Bell-Air Executive Air Travel)				1968	1996	Founded by Graeme Bell. Operated Aero Commander 500, Cessna 185, Cessna 207, Piper Aztec^[27]^[28]
Buckley Air				1995	1996	Operated Piper Aerostar, Partenavia P.68
C
Canterbury Aviation Company				1917	1923	Founded by Henry Wigram. Operated Caudron biplane^[29]
Capital Air				2006	2009	Renamed to Golden Bay Air^[30]
Capital Air Services	CN			1970	1978	Subsidiary of Wellington Aero Club. Renamed to James Air^[31]
Chatham Airlink				1996	1998	Operated Fairchild Metroliner
CityJet				1999	1999
Classic Air		CLS		1986	1986	Renamed to Fieldair Freight. Operated Douglas DC-3^[32]
Coastair				1985	2013	Subsidiary of Ashburton Air Services. Operated Cessna Titan, DHC-6 Twin Otter^[33]
Coastal Airways				1958	1958	Operated De Havilland DH.89B Dominie
Cook Strait Airways				1935	1947	Subsidiary of Union Airways of New Zealand
Cookson Air				1985	1995	Founded by William Bolton Cookson. Established as Cookson Airspread in 1953^[34]
D
Dominion Airways				1929	1931	Operated Desoutter Mk.II^[35]
E
Eagle Airways	NZ	EAG	EAGLE	1969	2016
East Air				1984	1985	Operated Piper Navajo, Partenavia P.68, Piper Chieftain
East Coast Airways				1935	1947	Subsidiary of Union Airways of New Zealand
Eastern Aviation				1996	2000	Rodger McCutcheon, built the Eastern Flight Centre FBO and started Eastern. Merged into NZ Aerial Mapping. Operated Piper Cheyenne, Cessna 421
F
Fieldair				1989	2002	Took over Speedlink Parcel. Operated Convair 580, Douglas DC-3^[36]
Fieldair Freight				1986	1993	Formed acquiring Classic Air. Operated Douglas DC-3^[37]
Flight Corporation (Flightcorp)				1991	2011	Operated Piper Aztec, Piper Seneca, Cessna 206, Cessna 172
Flight Hauraki		HKI		2008	2018
Float Air Picton				1974	1981	Operated Lake Buccaneer, Cessna 206
Fly My Sky			ISLAND	2007	2021	^[38]
flyDirect				2010	2010
FlyStark				2014	2018	Operated Cessna 172, GippsAero GA8 Airvan
Foxpine Air Charter				1979	1993	Operated Cessna Skyhawk, Piper Twin Comanche, Piper Seneca
Freedom Air	SJ	FOM	FREE AIR	1995	2008	Merged into parent Air New Zealand
G
Geyserland Airways				1969	1974	Operated Aero Commander 680, Cessna 185^[39] Involved in the legal case Airways Corp of New Zealand v Geyserland Airways Ltd
Gisborne Air Transport				1931	1933	Operated Desoutter Mk.II, de Havilland DH.60 Moth
Golden Coast Airlines				1965	1970	Established as Golden Coast Airways in 1960. Operated Auster J/1B Aiglet, de Havilland Tiger Moth, Cessna 180, Piper Apache, Aero Commander 500^[40]
Goldfields Air				1985	1986	Established as Goldfields Aviation. Operated Beech Bonanza, Piper Navajo^[41]
Great Barrier Airlines				1983	2015	Renamed to Barrier Air^[42]
Great Barrier Xpress				1998	2008	Renamed to Fly My Sky. Operated BN-2 Islander, Piper Aztec^[43]
Gulf Island Air				1992	1997	Founded by George and Janet Richardson. Merged into Great Barrier Airlines. Operated Piper Cherokee, Piper Cherokee Six
H
Hercules Airlines				1985	1989	Operated Bristol Freighter^[44]
Hibiscus Air				1981	1996	Operated GAF Nomad, Piper Navajo Chieftain^[45]
I
Island Air Safaris				1984	1990	Founded by Wayne Renner, Douglas Taylor and Vernon Mills. Operated Cessna 206, DHC-2 Beaver, Cessna 188
J
James Air		VLN		1978	1983	Renamed from Capital Air Services then to Avcorp Commuter
James Air Services (James Aviation)				1949	1982	Founded by Ossie James. Renamed from Adastra Aviation. Operated de Havilland Tiger Moth, DHC-2 Beaver, Douglas DC-3, Fletcher Fu 24, Lockheed Lodestar^[46]
Jetconnect	QF	QFA	QANTAS	2002	2018	Aircraft transferred to parent Qantas
K
K2000 Airlines				1999	2000	Operated a leased Boeing 737-400^[47]
King Solomon Airways				1997	2002	Operated Convair 580^[48]
Kiwi Regional Airlines		KRL	REGIONAL	2015	2016
Kiwi Travel Air Charters				1994	1995	Renamed to Kiwi Travel International Airlines. Operated Boeing 737^[49]
Kiwi Travel International Airlines	KC	KIC		1995	1996
Kiwi West Aviation				1993	1995	Founded by Tony Walshs. Operated Beech Queen Air
Kiwiair				1985	1987	Operated Piper Aztec
Kiwijet				2007	2009	Never started operations
L
Lakeair				1971	1981	Founded by Ron Fincham. Established as Lakeland Aviation. Operated Partenavia P.68, Mitsubishi MU-2^[50]
M
Marshall's Air Transport				1957	1959	Founded by Noel Marshall. Operated Cessna 180
Menzies Aviation (NZ)				1990	1992	Renamed to Air National^[51]
Mercury Air Couriers				1974	1976	Founded by Allan Prince. Operated Piper Aztec
Mercury Airlines				1970	1986	Established as Mercury Bay Aero Club's in 1948. Operated de Havilland Australia DHA-3 Drover, Cessna 172, Cessna 207
Mid North Air				1983	1984	Founded by Eugene Mortensen. Operated Aero Commander 500, Cessna 172, Piper Cherokee
Midland Air Services				1968	1974	Established as Middle Districts Aero Club in 1963. Operated Piper Apache, Cessna 180, Cessna 172, Piper Cherokee
Mountain Air				1988	2021
Motueka Air				1979	1988	Renamed to Air Nelson. Operated Piper Aztec^[52]
Motueka Air Services				1984	1987	Operated Cessna 172, Piper Aztec^[53]
Mount Cook Air Services				1954	1961	Established as NZ Aero Transport in 1920. Renamed to Mount Cook Airline. Operated Auster Autocrat, Hawker Siddeley HS 748^[54]
Mount Cook Airline	NM	NZM	MOUNTCOOK	1920	2019	Merged into parent Air New Zealand.^[55]
N
N. B. MacDonald Services				1987	1993	Founded by Neil and Josephine MacDonald. Operated Piper Seneca^[56]
Nationwide Air	GD			1978	1979	Formed by the merger of Air North and Akaran Air. Operated de Havilland Heron, Aviation Traders Carvair^[57]
Nationwide Aviation (NP) Ltd				1981	1987	Established as Nationwide Air Taxis in 1973. Operated Piper Cherokee Six, Cessna 172, Piper Aztec, Ted Smith Aerostar
New Zealand National Airways Corporation	NZ		NATIONAL	1945	1978	Merged into Air New Zealand
Newmans Air	NY	NMA	NEWMANS	1984	1987	Rebranded as Ansett New Zealand
Niue Airline	FN			1990	1992	Serviced the Auckland-Niue run
North Shore Air	NS			2015	2015
North South Aviation				1993	1994	Operated Embraer Bandeirante
Northern Air				1995	1998	Founded by Keith Madden and Dave McAlister. Operated Cessna 177, Cessna Stationair, Partenavia P.68, GAF Nomad
Northern Commuter Airlines				1990	1998	Operated GAF Nomad, Piper Chieftain
NZ Aero Transport				1920	1954	Renamed to Mount Cook Air Services. Operated Avro 504K, De Havilland DH-9A^[58]
NZ Tourist Air Travel				1955	1968	Acquired by Mount Cook Airline. Operated Cessna 180, Cessna 206, De Havilland Dominie, Grumman Widgeon^[59]
O
Origin Pacific Airways	QO	OGN	ORIGIN	1997	2006
Outdoor Aviation				1983	1984	Founded by Dave Phillips and Cliff Marchant. Renamed to SkyFerry. Operated Cessna 172, Cessna 185, Cessna Caravan^[60]
P
Pacific Blue Airlines	DJ	PBN	BLUEBIRD	2003	2011	Rebranded as Virgin Australia Airlines (NZ)
Pacifica Air				1987	1989	Founded by Cliff Skeggs. Operated Beech Super King Air, Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner, Piper Navajo Chieftain, Piper Aztec^[61]
Pasifika Air				2020	2021	Founded by Mike Pero, Never started operations
Parakai Aviation				1995	1996	Founded by Des Grant and Peter Clulow. Renamed to Trans Island Air. Operated Partenavia P.68, Cessna Skylane
Peninsula Air Travel				1963	1964	Operated Cessna 205, Cessna 172
Petersen Aviation				1957	1958	Founded by Vern Petersen and Jim Bergman. Operated Mooney M20, Cessna 172, Cessna 180^[62]
Phoenix Airways (NZ)				1961	1966	Founded by Mervin Dunn. Acquired by Golden Coast Airlines. Operated Piper Apache^[63]
Pine Air				1993	1993	Founded by Jim and Libby Lyver. Operated Piper Aztec^[64]
Pionair Adventures				1991	2014	Operated Convair 580, de Havilland Dove, Douglas DC-3^[65]
Port Hutt Air				1996	2005	Operated Beech Queen Air^[66]
Q
Qantas New Zealand				2000	2001	Operated De Havilland Canada Dash 8^[67]
Queenstown – Mount Cook Airways				1935	1940	^[68]
R
Ranger Air Cargo International				1974	1991	Operated Douglas DC-8-33^[69]
Rex Air Charter				1972	1986	Operated Cessna 402^[70]
Rex Aviation				1947	2000	Franchise with Ansett New Zealand branded as Tranzair in 1989. Operated Cessna Caravan, Embraer Bandeirante, Fokker F27 Friendship, BAe Jetstream^[71]
Ritchie Air Services				1960	1964	Founded by Ian Ritchie. Merged into NZ Tourist Air Travel. Operated Cessna 180, Cessna Super Skywagon, de Havilland Tiger Moth, de Havilland Dominie^[72]
Rotorua Aerial Charter				1967	1969	Renamed Geyersland Airways. Operated de Havilland DH.89B Dominie, Cessna 172, Aero Commander 500
Rural Aviation 1963				1963	1968	Operated Cessna AGwagon, Douglas DC-3^[73]
S
Safe Air				1966	1990
Sea Bee Air	CB			1976	1979	Operated Grumman Widgeon, Grumman Goose^[74]
Skybus				1970s	1970s	Did not start operations
SkyFerry				1984	1991	Established as Outdoor Aviation. Operated BN-2 Islander, Trislander, Beech Queen Air, Cessna 172, Cessna 185, Cessna 206^[75]
South Island Airways				1952	1956	Division of Airwork (N.Z.) Ltd. Operated de Havilland DH.89B Dominie
South Pacific Air Charters				1995	1998	Renamed to Freedom Air International. Operated Boeing 737-300, Boeing 757^[76]
South Pacific Airlines of New Zealand (SPANZ)				1960	1966
Southern Air (1997)				1997	2000	Established as Southern Air in 1981. Acquired by South East Air and renamed to Stewart Island Flights. Operated BN-2 Islander, Cessna 172, Cessna 177^[77]
Southern Cross Airfreighters				1962	1964	Non-scheduled cargo services. Operated Noorduyn Norseman^[78]
Southern Cross Airways				1985	1986	New Zealand airline with first female crew. Operated Cessna 421, Partenavia P.68
Southern Scenic Air Services				1948	1965	Founded by Fred Lucas and Bill Hewitt. Established as Southern Scenic Air Trips in 1947. Merged into NZ Tourist Air Travel. Operated Auster J/1B Aiglet, Auster Autocrat, Avro Anson, Percival Proctor, De Havilland DH.89B Dominie^[79]
Southern World Airlines				1990	1991	Cargo carrier. Operated Douglas DC-8^[80]
SouthFlight Aviation				1992	1986	Merged with Air Tours Kaikoura and renamed to Wings Over Whales. Operated Piper Aztec, Cessna 172, Cessna 210, BN-2 Islander, Piper Seneca
Stewart Island Air Services				1976	1981	Rebranded as Southern Air in 1981 and Southern Air (1997) in 1997. Renamed to Stewart Island Flights^[81]
Straits Air Freight Express				1950	1966	Renamed Safe Air Limited
T
Tasman Air Services				1968	1969	Operated Piper Navajo^[82]
Tasman Pacific Airlines	ZQ			2000	2001	Merged into Qantas New Zealand. Operated BAe Jetstream^[83]
Tasmanair				1969	1973	Operated Piper Navajo^[84]
Taupo Air Services				1978	1993	Founded by Peter Matich. Operated Cessna Skywagon, Cessna Cardinal, Cessna Skyhawk, Piper Super Cub^[85]
Tauranga Air Services				1978	1993	Renamed to Bay of Plenty Airways. Operated Cessna 182, de Havilland Dove, Aero Commander 680^[86]
Te Kahu Airlines				1997	1998	Operated by VIP Air with Piper Aztec, Piper Chieftain^[87]
TEAL (Tasman Empire Airways Limited)	TE		TEAL	1940	1965	Rebranded as Air New Zealand
The Hawke's Bay and East Coast Aero Club				1928	2010	Second aero club being incorporated on 12 November 1928. Operated Desoutter Mk.II, Piper Cherokee, Piper Seneca^[88]
Tikapa Air				1992	1995	Founded by Monique Van Dooren. Operated Cessna 177
Trans Island Airways				1956	1959	Operated DH.89, Beech D18S, Lockheed L.10 Electra^[89]
TranzGlobal				1994	1999	Freight carrier. Operated Embraer Bandeirante
U
Union Airways of New Zealand				1936	1947
United Aviation				1984	1997	Founded by John Plank. Took over N. B. MacDonald Services. Operated Beech Baron, Piper Chieftain
United Pacific Airlines				1981	1988	Operated Beech King Air, Partenavia P.68
Utah Williamson Burnett				1963	1968	Operated Grumman G-73 Mallard
V
Vincent Aviation	BF	VAL	VINCENT	1990	2014
VIP Air Charter				1991	1997	Operated Piper Aztec, Piper Navajo Chieftain^[90]
Virgin Australia Airlines (NZ)	VA	VOZ	VOZ/VELOCITY	2011	2015
W
Waiheke Air				1986	1986	Established as Rex Air Charter in 1972^[91]
Wairarapa Airlines	2W			1981	1996	Operated Mitsubishi MU-2, Partenavia P.68, Piper Navajo Chieftain^[92]
Waterwings Airways				1983	2006	Operated Cessna 206, Cessna 207, GAF Nomad^[93]
Welair				1992	1999	Operated Cessna 182, Piper Navajo, Piper Aztec, Piper Chieftain
West Coast Airways				1956	1967	Operated de Havilland Dragon Rapide, Cessna 180, Auster Aiglet^[94]
Westland Air				1969	1973	Founded by Nash and Elisabeth Taurau. Taken over by Coast Air Charter. Operated Cessna 172, Cessna 185, AESL Airtourer, Beech Musketeer
Westland Flying Service				1976	1986	Founded by Norm Bishop and Pat Pascoe. Operated Piper Cherokee, Cessna 172, Cessna 320 Skyknight, Cessna 402^[95]
Whale Watch Air				1997	1999	Merged with Air Tours Kaikoura to form Wings Over Whales. Operated Piper Navajo^[96]

List of defunct airlines of New Zealand

See also

References

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