flymac
Pilot Officer
Posts: 45 
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Post by flymac on Dec 19, 2014 5:57:47 GMT 12
Has Air NZ got it wrong?
They are claiming that next year is the 75th Anniversary of the airline but have the convenitently forgot about the history of Union Airways and before that
East Coast Airways and Cook Strait Airways.
The 75 yeasr being celebrated is the incorporatoon of TEAL in 1940, formed by the merger of Union Ariways and the NZ Government.
UNion Airways was established in 1936 from a merger of East Coast Airways and Cook Strait Airways. Even the first Short S30 flying boats were ordered in UNion Airways name.For an easy number it appears Air NZ has left out its real early history.
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Post by errolmartyn on Dec 19, 2014 9:13:32 GMT 12
Yes indeed, Flymac.
Air NZ has been promoting this revisionist history for years, ever since the 'merger' with NAC back in 1978.
Its PR spin doctors entirely ignored that yesterday (18 December) was the 80th anniversary of the first scheduled service by Air Travel (NZ) Ltd, Air NZ's earliest forebear. Air Travel (NZ) Ltd, along with Cook Straight Airways and Union Airways (who had taken over East Coast Airways in July 1938) all became part of NAC which formally commenced operations on 1 April 1947. Under whatever name you like label it, 'our' airline has been engaged in continuous scheuled operations for 80 years, not 75.
Sadly, history, as they say, is written by the 'victors'!
Errol
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Post by nuuumannn on Dec 19, 2014 13:00:31 GMT 12
Oh, Errol, you're being so cynical  That's pretty much it. Being devil's advocate since I'm still employed with The Firm, whilst you guys are right, the TEAL Deal is the crux of the matter as far as the airline is concerned. Next year is also the 25th anniversary of the rebranding of TEAL as Air New Zealand and as you know from bitter experience, Errol, branding is the key in this industry. This year for Chrimbo we received a copy of the book Air New Zealand Celebrating 75 Years; it's rather lovely with some stunning photos. Of course there is the usual overactivity from the Ministry of Propaganda, but episodes like the stupidity of the decision to acquire Ansett and the merger with NAC are dealt with objectively. In terms of NAC, a financially sensible decision handled poorly. Although I do have to adversely comment on the quote "The sight of a propellor [their spelling, not mine] is a rare one these days" especially considering turboprops outnumber jets in the current fleet; the highest number of any Air NZ aircraft of the same make and model, past and present, operated at the same time is the Q300 AND there is not one photograph of one in the entire book! There is a general feeling that the regional side of things gets overlooked amid the excitement of 'jets' within the regional services. Anyway, I'm nitpicking. |
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Post by scrooge on Dec 19, 2014 13:05:02 GMT 12
Interesting also that AirNZ actually provided some sponsorship for the 75th anniversary of that first scheduled flight by Air Travel (NZ) Ltd. So someone there knew enough to be involved in that.
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Post by Peter Lewis on Dec 19, 2014 15:20:02 GMT 12
You could actually argue for even earlier than that.
Mt Cook Airline, now part of ANZ, can trace its ancestory back to 1920 and the NZ Aero Transport Company.
So that makes it now 94 years.
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Post by errolmartyn on Dec 19, 2014 15:31:40 GMT 12
You could actually argue for even earlier than that. Mt Cook Airline, now part of ANZ, can trace its ancestory back to 1920 and the NZ Aero Transport Company. So that makes it now 94 years. But not of course 94 years of continuous service - NZAT ceased ops in 1923 and it was many years before the Mt Cook company got back into the air travel business. Errol |
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Post by Peter Lewis on Dec 19, 2014 16:30:20 GMT 12
Agreed - I was just pointing out how difficult it is to draw the line.
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Post by chinapilot on Dec 19, 2014 17:51:31 GMT 12
OK - I'll drop by Te Papa tonight and tell them what a bunch of idiots they are...  jeez.... it's promoting aviation and that's a good thing in NZ at the moment... |
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flymac
Pilot Officer
Posts: 45
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Post by flymac on Dec 20, 2014 18:07:31 GMT 12
I have just had some bad news from my cousin that some of the material on display at Palmerston North Airport about Union Airways has gone missing.
My uncle is Murdo MacLeod, a foundation pilot of Union Airways. He was killed in a DC3 freighter crash near Blenhiem in 1947.
His daughter had lent to Palmerston North airport his log books and photos - these appear to have gone missing.
My Dad, Murdo MacLeod was one of the original pilots of Union Airways. Unfortunately Palmerston Noprth terminal have removed a lot of the photos and log books that my briother and I loaned to the display. They now appear to have gone astray after my many attempts to get them returned.
I would like to ask anyone on this website have they seen these documents in anyone's collection. Would be really great to track them down.
and as for Palmerston Norths departure tax, perhasp we should not be paying them anymore.
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