Airlines of New South Wales

Airlines of New South Wales
Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Airline
Predecessor	Butler Air Transport
Founded	1959
Founder	Reg Ansett (via acquisition)
Defunct	1993
Fate	Integrated into Ansett
Successor	Ansett
Headquarters	Sydney, Australia
Area served	Regional New South Wales, other Australian states
Key people	Reg Ansett (founder/owner)
Products	Domestic regional passenger air services, tourist flights
Owner	Ansett Transport Industries (from 1964)
Parent	Ansett Transport Industries

Airlines of New South Wales—also referred to as Air New South Wales, Ansett NSW, and Ansett Express with the callsign "NEWSOUTH"—was an Australian regional airline operating domestically from 1959 until its integration into Ansett in 1993. Established following Reg Ansett's acquisition of Butler Air Transport, the carrier initially focused on serving regional destinations within New South Wales before expanding its reach to other Australian states. The airline is historically significant for its involvement in the 1964–65 High Court decision, Airlines of New South Wales Pty Ltd v New South Wales (No 2), which delineated constitutional authority between federal and state governments concerning air navigation regulation.

History

During the late 1950s, Reg Ansett broadened the scope of Ansett Transport Industries (ATI) within Australia's domestic aviation sector. After securing a 40% ownership in Butler Air Transport, Ansett facilitated a takeover by transporting nominee shareholders to a company meeting, thereby wresting control from Arthur Butler by 1958. The company was rebranded as Airlines of New South Wales on 17 December 1959, commencing commercial operations just two days later. Initially, the airline operated routes connecting Sydney with regional areas in New South Wales, subsequently extending services to interstate destinations. By 1964, Airlines of New South Wales had become a subsidiary under ATI.

From 1968 to 1969, the airline adopted the name Ansett Airlines of New South Wales. At the time of the 1978 Domestic Air Policy Transport Review, it was recognized as one of five regional carriers in Australia. The airline underwent several rebrandings: becoming Air New South Wales in 1981, then Ansett NSW in March 1990, and later that same year adopting the name Ansett Express. Its independent operations concluded in 1993 when it merged into Ansett.

In addition to scheduled passenger flights, the airline offered tourist excursions; notably, actor Steve Dodd served as a tour guide in central Australia during the late 1960s and early 1970s.

High Court case

During the 1960s, Airlines of New South Wales played a central role in a pivotal High Court case addressing the division of regulatory authority over aviation between state and federal governments.

Both Airlines of New South Wales and East West Airlines provided regional services within New South Wales. The state government, led by Jack Renshaw, attempted to regulate route allocations, which threatened to diminish Airlines of New South Wales' service network. Although Airlines of New South Wales possessed a Commonwealth licence for flights between Sydney and Dubbo, it lacked authorisation under newly enacted state aviation regulations. On 23 October 1964, the airline sought an injunction from the High Court to prevent enforcement of these state laws. Subsequently, on 26 October, it operated an unprofitable indirect route via Canberra—crossing state boundaries—to bypass the state restrictions.

The High Court's verdict on 3 February 1965 in Airlines of New South Wales Pty Ltd v New South Wales (No 2) affirmed that the Commonwealth holds jurisdiction over intrastate air navigation when necessary for safety or to avoid interference with interstate or international flights. Despite this legal victory, Airlines of New South Wales (later Air New South Wales) continued competing alongside East West Airlines throughout the 1980s, with each carrier maintaining exclusive control over specific intrastate passenger routes.

Fleet

de Havilland Dragon
de Havilland DH.114 Heron
Douglas DC-3 (including variants such as the Wright Cyclone-powered C-47 Dakota and DC-3 Viewmaster modifications)
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Convair 440
Short S.25 Sandringham & Ansett AFBS Conversion Sunderland Flying Boats (operated on behalf of Ansett Flying Boat Services)
Fokker F27 Friendship
Fokker F28 Fellowship (the airline’s only jet aircraft)
Fokker 50

Destinations

The airline inaugurated flights to Bathurst, New South Wales in 1963, becoming the initial tenant of the city’s airport terminal. Between 1988 and 1990, aiming to maximize profitability for its Fokker F28 jets, the carrier expanded under the names Air NSW and Ansett NSW to destinations outside New South Wales, including Devonport and Launceston in Tasmania, as well as Maroochydore (which later became Sunshine Coast Airport) in Queensland.

Incidents

On 12 December 1960, a Douglas DC-3 was lost at sea during a pilot training exercise, resulting in three deaths. On 1 April 1965, a Douglas C-47 was involved in a crash while operating a scheduled passenger flight; although the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, no lives were lost.
In 1986, an F27 operating from Dubbo to Sydney prepared for an emergency landing after a nose wheel part was discovered on the runway. Passengers were instructed to brace for impact; however, the aircraft touched down safely and underwent inspection without any problems.

External links

Air Times website, showcasing historical timetables from Airlines of New South Wales.