From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia MacAir Airlines
MacAir Airlines
MacAir Airlines in North Queensland. The year 2000 saw further expan-
sion for MacAir when it merged with passenger airline
Transtate Airlines and incorporated their Gulf of Carpen-
taria services under the MacAir banner.
The link between Townsville and Mount Isa was one
of the busiest. Passenger volumes on this route serving
the mining industry saw the company introduce its ATR
IATA ICAO Callsign 42-500 into service.
CC MCK MACAIR MacAir Airlines was a Qantas commercial partner. As
such, the airline had worldwide distribution through the
Founded 1992
Qantas reservation system. This agreement between the
Ceased operations January 2009 two carriers gave passengers the ability to choose several
options for booking tickets along with the ability to ac-
Hubs Brisbane Airport
Cairns Airport crue and utilise frequent flyer points on a number of ser-
Townsville Airport vices.
On 29 January 2009, MacAir placed itself into vol-
Fleet size 10
untary administration; the following day major creditor
Destinations 29 Suncorp-Metway appointed Ernst & Young as receivers
and the airline ceased operations. MacAir had previously
Headquarters Townsville, Queensland, Australia
asked the Queensland government for a $7 million one-
Key people Terry Byrt (Owner) off ex gratia payment, but the government refused, say-
ing that MacAir had "systemic issues."[3] On 6 February
MacAir Airlines Pty Ltd[1] was a regional airline based in the business was closed by the receiver and its 200 em-
Townsville, Queensland, Australia. It operated scheduled ployees dismissed.[4] The administrators will now wind
passenger services throughout Queensland from major up the business and sell off the company’s assets.
regional locations, as well as regular and ad hoc charters
for the minerals industry in Queensland. Its main oper-
ations base was Townsville International Airport, with Destinations
hubs at Cairns International Airport, Brisbane Airport At the end of January 2009 MacAir operated to the follow-
and Mount Isa Airport.[2] ing scheduled destinations:[5]
In January 2009 the airline was placed in receiver- • From Townsville to:
ship.[3] • Mount Isa (Mount Isa Airport)
• Cloncurry (Cloncurry Airport)
History • Winton (Winton Airport)
• Longreach (Longreach Airport)
MacAir Airlines was established and started charter op- • Moranbah (Moranbah Airport)
Charters,
erations in 1992 as McKinlay Air Charters adding sched- • Mackay (Mackay Airport)[6]
uled services in 1998. In May 2000 the Collings family sold • Emerald (Emerald Airport)[6]
Transjet, Airlines.
the airline to Transjet owner of Transtates Airlines The • Brisbane (Brisbane Airport)
two brands were merged and operate under the MacAir • Hughenden (Hughenden Airport)
name. In November 2003 MacAir acquired Horizon Air- • Richmond (Richmond Airport)
lines. MacAir Airlines grew to become a major player in • Julia Creek (Julia Creek Airport)
Australia’s regional aviation network and played an im- • From Cairns to:
portant role in providing transport to both passengers • Mount Isa (Mount Isa Airport)
and freight throughout regional Queensland. • Normanton (Normanton Airport)
MacAir Airlines was based in Townsville. Staff were • Mornington Island (Mornington Island Airport)
based in Townsville, Cairns, Mount Isa and Brisbane. • Burketown (Burketown Airport)
In 1998 the growth of the mining industry and MacAir • Doomadgee (Doomadgee Airport)
Airlines’ fly-in fly-out operations led to the expansion • Pormpuraaw (Edward River Airport)
of the carrier and the introduction of passenger services • Kowanyama (Kowanyama Airport)
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia MacAir Airlines
• From Brisbane to: • 7 Saab 340B (six second generation 340B and one
• Moranbah (Moranbah Airport) third generation 340B+)
• Townsville (Townsville Airport)
• Oakey (Oakey Army Aviation Centre)
• St George (St George Airport)
References
• Cunnamulla (Cunnamulla Airport) [1] ABNLookup - Current details for 62 073 278 378
• Thargomindah (Thargomindah Airport) [2] "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International:
• Charleville (Charleville Airport) p. 46. 10 April 2007.
• Quilpie (Quilpie Airport) [3] ^ "Airline passengers stranded". The Courier Mail. 30
• Birdsville (Birdsville Airport) January 2009. http://www.news.com.au/
• Bedourie (Bedourie Airport) couriermail/story/0,23739,24983874-952,00.html.
• Boulia (Boulia Airport) Retrieved 1 February 2009.
• Mount Isa (Mount Isa Airport) [4] "Regional carrier MacAir shut down with loss of
Charter Connections for Mining Companies from 200 jobs". The Courier-Mail. 5 February 2009.
Townsville to http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/
Osborne, BHP’s Cannington, Zinifex Century Mine 0,27574,25016493-3102,00.html.
[5] http://www.macair.com.au/cmsAssets/images/
timetables%20%20eff%2023jun08.pdf
Fleet [6] ^ http://macair.com.au/cmsAssets/images/
As of January 2009 the Macair Airlines fleet consists of timetables%20%20eff%2018oct08.pdf
the following aircraft:[7] [7] Australian civil aircraft register search, using
• 1 ATR 42-500 "Macair" as the search parameter. Search
• 2 Fairchild SA227-DC Metro 23 conducted 21 January 2009.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=MacAir_Airlines&oldid=441504107"
Categories:
• Airlines established in 2000
• North Queensland
• Townsville
• Airlines disestablished in 2009
• Defunct airlines of Australia
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