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Aviation in Australia has a long history, with Qantas, the country's flag carrier, being established in 1920. Over the years, Qantas has played a significant role in connecting Australia internationally, with flights to the UK, Africa, and North America. Today, various airlines operate in Australia, including Qantas, Virgin Australia, and budget airlines like Jetstar and Tigerair. Recently, there has been scrutiny over the safety of Boeing's 737 Max aircraft, with the US National Transportation Safety Board investigating an incident involving a Max 9 plane. However, in Australia, the Max 8, operated by Virgin Australia and Bonza, has been deemed safe by the regulator, while no local airlines fly the Max 9.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Aviation in Australia began | 1920 |
| First Australian flag carrier | Qantas |
| Current major airlines | Qantas, Virgin Australia, Jetstar, Tigerair Australia, Bonza |
| Recent incidents | Alaska Airlines Max 9 emergency landing |
| Current status of Max 9 in Australia | Not in operation |
| Current status of Max 8 in Australia | In operation, deemed safe by Casa |
| Future aircraft | Max 10, expected by Virgin Australia in 2025 |
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What You'll Learn
Qantas: the flag carrier of Australia
Qantas, Australia's flag carrier, was founded in 1920, marking the beginning of aviation in the country. Qantas and Britain's Imperial Airways formed Qantas Empire Airways Limited (QEA) in 1934, which began flying between Brisbane and Darwin in December of that year. In May 1935, QEA launched international passenger flights from Darwin to Singapore, with Imperial Airways operating the rest of the service to London. This route, via the Eastern Hemisphere, became known as the Kangaroo Route, while flights via the Western Hemisphere were called the Southern Cross Route.
Qantas played a significant role in pioneering international flights from Australia. In 1948, the airline operated the first commercial flight from Australia to Africa, known as the Wallaby Route. In 1954, Qantas made the first flight from Australia to North America, with a 60-passenger aircraft travelling from Sydney to San Francisco and Vancouver via Fiji, Canton Island, and Hawaii.
During World War II, Qantas experienced challenges as most of its fleet was taken over by the Australian government for military purposes. Enemy action and accidents resulted in the loss of half of their fleet. Despite these setbacks, Qantas persevered and continued to expand its operations.
In the context of Australia's aviation history, it is worth noting that until World War II, the country was one of the leading centres of aviation globally. With a small population of about seven million, Australia had an impressive aviation infrastructure, ranking sixth in the world for scheduled air mileage and boasting 16 airlines.
Today, Qantas continues to be a prominent airline in Australia and has faced competition from other carriers such as Virgin Australia and Bonza. Qantas has also expanded through its low-cost subsidiary, Jetstar. The airline remains a significant player in Australia's aviation industry, carrying passengers to various destinations worldwide.
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Aviation history: Australia was once a leading centre
Aviation in Australia began in 1920 with the formation of Qantas, which became the flag carrier of Australia. Qantas commenced its international passenger flights in May 1935, and in 1948, it flew the first commercial flight from Australia to Africa, known as the Wallaby Route.
Before World War II, Australia was one of the world's leading centres of aviation. With a small population of about seven million, the country ranked sixth in the world for scheduled air mileage, had 16 airlines, and was growing at twice the world average. Australia had also produced several prominent aviation pioneers, including Lawrence Hargrave, Harry Hawker, Bert Hinkler, Lawrence Wackett, the Reverend John Flynn, Sidney Cotton, Keith Virtue, and Charles Kingsford Smith. The Australian government regarded air transport as a matter of national importance, given the vast stretches of uninhabitable desert separating the small productive regions of the country.
During World War II, however, civil aviation was sacrificed to meet military needs. The Australian government took over most of the Qantas fleet for war service, and enemy action and accidents destroyed half of it. By the war's end, there were only nine domestic airlines left, including eight smaller regional concerns and Australian National Airways (ANA), which enjoyed a near-monopoly on major routes and received the lion's share of government air transport subsidies.
After the war, Qantas was nationalised, and its domestic operations were transferred to Trans Australia Airlines (TAA) in 1946. The Two Airlines Policy, established in 1952, aimed to ensure the viability of both TAA and ANA, but it ultimately preserved the private airline ANA. This policy restricted intercapital services to these two major carriers, creating a duopoly that lasted for four decades.
In the mid-1990s, TAA merged with Qantas, and the latter was subsequently privatised. Ansett, which had acquired ANA in 1957, collapsed in 2001, creating an opportunity for Virgin Australia (then Virgin Blue) to enter the market and challenge Qantas.
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Boeing 737 Max planes: are they safe?
Aviation authorities have deemed the Boeing 737 Max safe to fly, but the plane's history of crashes and safety issues has left some travellers wary of boarding it.
In late 2018 and early 2019, two fatal crashes of the Boeing 737 Max variant killed 346 people. The crashes were attributed to a software issue, leading to the grounding of the plane for nearly two years. Following intensive safety checks, the plane was returned to service at the end of 2020. However, in April 2021, dozens of Max jets were grounded again due to electrical faults, and in 2023, Boeing experienced supplier quality issues that forced it to pause deliveries of its planes.
In January 2024, a door plug covering an unused emergency exit ripped off during an Alaska Airlines flight, causing a rapid loss of cabin pressure that tore open the cockpit door. All passengers and crew members survived, but the incident renewed questions about the safety of the Boeing 737 Max. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has flagged additional safety issues with the plane's engine anti-ice systems, though it has not deemed these issues serious enough to ground the fleet.
Despite these incidents, airlines remain committed to Boeing and express confidence in the safety of the planes they are ordering. However, some travellers are less enthusiastic, with social media posts indicating a desire to avoid the Boeing 737 Max in future travels. Travel booking sites have even introduced filters to allow passengers to exclude itineraries with certain aircraft types, including the 737 Max.
While the 737 Max has experienced a series of problems, it is important to note that aviation in the US has an excellent overall safety record. The decision to fly on the 737 Max ultimately comes down to personal preference, as individuals weigh the risks and benefits based on available information and their level of comfort.
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The Two Airlines Policy: a historical duopoly
Aviation in Australia began in 1920 with the formation of Qantas, which became the flag carrier of Australia. Qantas commenced international passenger flights in May 1935, and in 1948, it flew the first commercial flight from Australia to Africa, launching what is known as the Wallaby Route.
The Australian National Airways (ANA) was the predominant domestic carrier from the mid-1930s to the early 1950s. In 1936, it was established by a consortium of British-financed Australian shipowners. However, after 1939, and especially after Japan's invasion of the islands to the north in 1941, civil aviation was sacrificed to military needs. During World War II, most of the Qantas fleet was taken over by the Australian government for war service, and enemy action and accidents destroyed half of the fleet.
After the war, Qantas was nationalised, and its domestic operations were transferred to Trans Australia Airlines (TAA) in 1946. The Two Airlines Policy was formally established in 1952 to ensure the viability of both airlines. However, ANA's leadership was quickly eroded by TAA, and it was acquired by Ansett Transport Industries in 1957. The policy was a legal barrier to new entrants to the Australian aviation market. It restricted intercapital services to the two major domestic carriers, ensuring they carried approximately the same number of passengers, charged the same fares, and had similar fleet sizes and equipment.
Under the policy, only two airlines were allowed to operate flights between state capital cities and major regional city airports. This arrangement continued for the next four decades until the deregulation of the industry in 1990. In the mid-1990s, TAA merged with Qantas and later privatised. Ansett collapsed in September 2001, and in the following years, Virgin Australia became a challenger to Qantas.
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International flights: the Kangaroo and Southern Cross Routes
Qantas, the flag carrier of Australia, began international passenger flights in May 1935. The Kangaroo Route and the Southern Cross Route are two routes that connect Australia with Europe. The Kangaroo Route refers to flights between Australia and the United Kingdom via the Eastern Hemisphere. The Southern Cross Route, on the other hand, refers to flights between Australasia (or Oceania) and Europe via the Western Hemisphere.
The term "Kangaroo Route" was coined by Qantas when they operated this route from 1949 to 1974. The route typically included stops in cities such as Singapore, Bahrain, Frankfurt, Zurich, Rome, Athens, Beirut, Tehran, Bombay, and Colombo. In the late 1970s, Qantas introduced Boeing 747s, reducing travel times and the number of stops. In 1989, Qantas set a world distance record for commercial jets by flying non-stop from London to Sydney in just over 20 hours using a Boeing 747-400.
The Southern Cross Route was named by British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines when they began services from Sydney to Vancouver in 1949. The route was later extended to Europe following an air services agreement between Australia and the United Kingdom in 1957. Qantas then operated flights from Sydney to London via Los Angeles and New York using Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellations. In the 1960s, Qantas introduced the Fiesta Route, a third route to London via Tahiti, Mexico, and the Caribbean. However, this route, along with the Southern Cross Route, was discontinued in 1975.
Today, several airlines offer through flights on the Southern Cross Route, including Air New Zealand, Air Tahiti Nui, French Bee, and Air France. Air New Zealand previously operated an Auckland-Los Angeles-London Heathrow route until 2020. French Bee is the first and only low-cost carrier to fly this route. While various airlines have route networks across the Pacific and Atlantic, none currently offer through flights from Europe to Australia via South America, which would be the equivalent of the Southern Cross Route via the Western Hemisphere.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, aviation in Australia is currently ongoing.
Qantas, Virgin Australia, Jetstar, Tigerair Australia, and Bonza are some of the major airlines in Australia.
There have been recent concerns regarding the safety of Boeing's newest planes, particularly the 737 Max aircraft. However, the regulator has ruled that the Max 8s operating in Australia are safe, and they adhere to strict local regulatory standards.
Aviation in Australia began in 1920 with the formation of Qantas, which became the flag carrier. The industry grew rapidly, and until World War II, Australia was one of the world's leading centres of aviation. After the war, Qantas was nationalised, and the Australian National Airways (ANA) became the predominant domestic carrier.
Yes, the "Two Airlines Policy" was established in 1952 to ensure the viability of the two major airlines at the time: the government-owned Trans Australia Airlines (TAA) and the privately-owned ANA. This policy restricted competition in the Australian aviation market and ensured similar operating conditions between the two carriers.
