Australia Asia Airlines

Australia Asia Airlines airline codes|IM|AAU|Austasia was a wholly owned subsidiary of Qantas set up to operate services between Australia and Taiwan in 1990. Qantas was not able to fly to Taiwan in its own right due to the People's Republic of China objecting to a state-owned airline of a country that recognises it to fly, in its own name, to a rival regime that it regards as a breakaway province. Similar arrangements were made by British Airways and Japan Airlines amongst others.

The airline operated Boeing 747SP and Boeing 767 aircraft seconded from the Qantas fleet. They were repainted with a slightly different livery, the flying kangaroo replaced by a dynamic ribbon. The airline initially flew its flights using the IATA code IM but switched to Qantas's QF in 1994.

It ceased operations in 1996 as Qantas could by then serve Taiwan in its own right due to it being completely privatised. Its aircraft were then returned to Qantas service.

External links

* [http://www.plane-spotters.net/Airline/Australia_Asia_Airlines Australia Asia Airlines Fleet Detail]