East-West Airlines (Australia)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Airline |
| Founded | 1947 in Tamworth, New South Wales, Australia |
| Defunct | 31 December 1993 |
| Fate | Acquired by Ansett Transport Industries; brand discontinued |
| Headquarters | Tamworth , Australia |
Area served | Australia (regional and domestic routes) |
Key people | Bryan Grey (Managing Director) |
| Products | Passenger and mail air transport services |
East-West Airlines was an Australian regional airline established in 1947 in Tamworth, New South Wales. It connected key regional urban centres with various state capitals. By the 1980s, it had grown to become the third largest domestic airline in Australia. The airline was acquired by Ansett Transport Industries in 1987, with the brand discontinued in 1993.
History
East-West Airlines originated in 1947, financed by approximately 800 predominantly small-scale investors who sought to break the dominance of city-based airline monopolies. Its early operations featured single-engine de Havilland Tiger Moth planes, launching Australia's inaugural scheduled mail service linking Tamworth, Port Macquarie, and Newcastle. Subsequently, the airline expanded its fleet with twin-engine Avro Anson aircraft to enhance mail and passenger transport capabilities.
From 1953 onward, East-West introduced several Douglas DC-3 aircraft, which progressively superseded the smaller Avro Ansons on scheduled routes within New South Wales. The final DC-3 was withdrawn in 1973 after being utilized for research flights by the CSIRO. In August 1953, East-West merged with South Coast Airways, which operated as a subsidiary until its administration in 1965.
An attempted acquisition by Kwikasair in 1965 was unsuccessful. By 1969, East-West extended its Sydney–Albury route to reach Melbourne. A maintenance base was established at Tamworth Airport in 1977.
Transitioning from a primarily intrastate carrier, East-West had become Australia's third largest domestic airline by the early 1980s, operating ten Fokker aircraft by 1982 and preparing to introduce jet aircraft. However, a financially burdensome venture into the Northern Territory in 1980 resulted in losses and internal board disputes. In 1981, East-West became the first "third" airline to offer services between Sydney and Canberra during the restrictive period of the Two Airlines Policy. Between 1977 and 1990, it also operated flights to Norfolk Island.
In 1982, former executives Bryan Grey and Duke Minks established East-West Development Pty Ltd and purchased East-West Airlines using an $8.5 million loan from the Nauru Phosphate Royalties Trust. This acquisition raised concerns regarding foreign investment impacts.
Despite regulatory restrictions barring direct inter-capital flights, East-West engaged in vigorous competition against major carriers Ansett and Trans Australia Airlines on interstate routes. The airline operated connecting flights through regional hubs such as Melbourne–Sydney via Albury and Sydney–Brisbane via Newcastle and Coolangatta, occasionally performing touch-and-go stops.
Its fleet mainly consisted of Fokker F27 turboprops and Fokker F28 jets. In June 1983, East-West marketed return fares between Sydney and Melbourne via Albury for $120—approximately half the price charged by the duopoly—attracting about 4,000 passengers monthly. Ansett and TAA responded by lowering their fares to around $140. In 1985, East-West placed an order for a Boeing 737, signaling a move toward fleet modernization.
The airline’s efficient cost structure exerted pressure on the Federal Government to dismantle the Two Airline Policy that had maintained elevated fare levels for years. Under Managing Director Bryan Grey and marketing consultant John Williams, East-West launched a nationwide campaign promoting reduced fares that attracted numerous first-time flyers and contributed to market deregulation.
In December 1983, despite resistance from the Government of New South Wales, East-West was sold to Perth-based Skywest Airlines owned by Ric Stowe. Bryan Grey later founded Compass Airlines in 1990 as a new competitor within the deregulated domestic market.
Skywest maintained East-West as a separate entity; although plans announced in 1985 to merge both airlines mainly resulted only in coordinated timetables. That same year, East-West challenged the Two Airline Policy in Federal Court but withdrew its case by September 1987.
In July 1987, both airlines were acquired from Perth car dealer Perron Group by Ansett Transport Industries. East-West continued independent operations until December 31, 1993, when it was fully absorbed into Ansett and its brand discontinued.
Following its closure in 1991, East-West’s maintenance facility at Tamworth was repurposed into a bus body manufacturing plant by Ansett subsidiary Ansair in 1993.
Accidents and incidents
- On 12 October 1949, an East-West Airlines Avro Anson experienced a crash shortly after departing from Tamworth. Four passengers escaped without injury. The pilot, Captain John Lachlan Rentell, aged 35, suffered serious wounds but successfully avoided a collision with a tree by banking the aircraft prior to landing. Mechanics reported that the engines exhibited sluggish performance.[1]
- On 5 December 1950, an East-West Avro Anson caught fire while flying from Eagle Farm Airport (Brisbane) to Armidale Airport, ultimately crashing on Zanatta's property in Pozieres, Queensland. Although the plane was heavily damaged, the pilot and two passengers remained uninjured.[2]
- On 4 November 1957, an East-West Douglas DC-3 carrying 27 individuals crashed into a lake near Sydney Airport following engine difficulties combined with pilot error that resulted in power loss. Fortunately, all occupants survived.[3]
- On 31 May 1974, a Fokker F27 approaching Bathurst Airport encountered a downdraft during a go-around maneuver in adverse weather conditions. The aircraft skidded for 625 meters after impact and lost its starboard engine. All passengers and crew were able to evacuate safely.[3]</ref>
Fleet
- 3 Lockheed Hudson (converted from civil transports)
- 8 Douglas DC-3
- 20 Fokker F27
- 8 Fokker F28
- 2 Boeing 727-200
- 1 de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
- 8 BAe 146-300
Bibliography
Gradidge, Jennifer M., The Douglas DC-1, DC-2, DC-3 - The First Seventy Years Volume 1, Air-Britain, Tonbridge Kent, 2006,