Asian Express Airlines

Infobox_Airline
airline=Asian Express Airlines

logo_size=
IATA=HJ
ICAO=AXF
callsign=EXPRESS
founded=1996
headquarters=Mascot, New South Wales, Australia
key_people=
fleet_size=One
destinations=2 scheduled
website=

Asian Express Airlines is a cargo airline based in Sydney, Australia. It operates scheduled international cargo services on behalf of DHL and ad hoc domestic and international cargo charters. Its corporate headquarters is at Mascot, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney and the location of Sydney Airport, and its sole aircraft is based at Auckland International Airport in New Zealand.

History

Asian Express Airlines commenced operations as Premier Airlines on 5 September 1994, headquartered in Melbourne, Victoria and flying a Boeing 727-100 freighter on behalf of DHL. Due to International Civil Aviation Organization "Stage III" aircraft noise restrictions this aircraft was withdrawn from service the following year and the current Boeing 727-200 was acquired [Reid, Gordon. "13th Annual Major Airline Directory", "Australian Aviation" magazine No. 117, May 1996, p46-58. Aerospace Publications Pty. Ltd. ISSN 0813-0876.] . In late 1996 Premier Airlines changed its name to the current Asian Express Airlines to better reflect its role in flying for DHL in the Asian region, and moved its headquarters to Auckland Airport [Reid, Gordon. "14th Annual Major Airline Directory", "Australian Aviation" magazine No. 128, May 1997, p58-71. Aerospace Publications Pty. Ltd. ISSN 0813-0876.] . The airline's domicile in New Zealand was short-lived; it was established at its current location by early 1998 [Reid, Gordon. "Major Airline Directory", "Australian Aviation" magazine No. 139, May 1998, p56-68. Aerospace Publications Pty. Ltd. ISSN 0813-0876.] . As it has only one aircraft the airline has needed to use other operators' aircraft when its own is scheduled for maintenance. These other operators have included Pel-Air, Transmile Air Services and HeavyLift Cargo Airlines.

Destinations

Asian Express Airlines operates regular scheduled cargo services on behalf of DHL Express from Auckland to Sydney and return. These services operate on Monday - Thursday nights and on Saturdays during daylight hours. It also has approval to operate services to Nouméa and Melbourne [ [http://www.casa.gov.au/casadata/aoc/download/ML543411-12.pdf Asian Express Airlines Air Operator Certificate] retrieved 2008-01-04.] (the airline flew scheduled once-weekly services between Auckland and Nouméa's La Tontouta International Airport on behalf of AircalinReid, Gordon. "Major Airline Directory", "Australian Aviation" magazine No. 161, May 2000, p53-66. Aerospace Publications Pty. Ltd. ISSN 0813-0876.] until late 2002). A significant part of the airline's business is the carriage of racehorses across the Tasman Sea [Waddington, Helen. "Melbourne Cup", Cabin Crew, "Flight Safety Australia" magazine, Volume 7, Number 5, November-December 2003, p34-37. Civil Aviation Safety Authority, Canberra. ISSN 1325-5002. Online version [http://casa.gov.au/fsa/2003/nov/34-37.pdf here] retrieved 2008-01-04.] .

Fleet

The Asian Express Airlines fleet consists of the following aircraft (as of January 2008):

*1 Boeing 727-200 (registration VH-DHE)

the aircraft is owned by European Air Transport [ [http://www.casa.gov.au/casadata/regsearch/airsresults.asp?VHin=&framein=all&manuin=&modelin=&regholdin=&regopin=Asian+Express+Airlines&serialin=&num_results=10&Search=Search Australian civil aircraft register search] using "Asian Express Airlines" as the search parameter. Search conducted 2008-01-04.] .

References