Norfolk Jet Express
Encyclopedia
Norfolk Jet Express Pty Ltd was an airline
based on Norfolk Island
offering scheduled, international, domestic, passenger and cargo services. It ceased operations in June 2005 due to financial difficulties.
-100 leased from National Jet Systems
. A codeshare agreement with Qantas
was later signed in 1999. Eventually services to Australia
were operated with a Boeing 737-400 configured with 128 economy seats and 12 business class seats (wet leased from Air Nauru
on behalf of Norfolk Air Express). In August 2004 a service to Auckland
was inaugurated using a Fokker F100
, leased from Alliance Airlines
, configured with 89 economy seats and 8 business class seats. The flights to Auckland soon ceased because of increasing costs on that route.
Norfolk Jet Express went into voluntary liquidation 4 June 2005 . All flights for 4, 5 and 7 June to and from Brisbane and Sydney however went ahead as scheduled while an alternative solution to service provision was found. After urgent discussions, Norfolk Island Government's Official Secretary, Peter Maywald, announced on 7 June that Qantas
and Air Nauru
would jointly provide replacement services for at least 12 months. For the first week after liquidation
, Alliance Airlines
aircraft were used for services, following which it was planned that Qantas
would operate the flights from 11 June using Air Nauru
Boeing 737
aircraft
chartered
by the Norfolk Island Government (ref: Air International, July 2005).
and Sydney
using the Air Nauru
Boeing 737-400 and Alliance Airlines
Fokker F100
aircraft
and to Auckland
at one stage.
(wet leased from Alliance Airlines
) and a Boeing 737-400 (leased from Air Nauru
)
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
based on Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island is a small island in the Pacific Ocean located between Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia. The island is part of the Commonwealth of Australia, but it enjoys a large degree of self-governance...
offering scheduled, international, domestic, passenger and cargo services. It ceased operations in June 2005 due to financial difficulties.
History
Norfolk Jet Express was established in May 1997 by Norfolk Island resident and businessman Gregg Prechelt, who was both the Chief Executive and Chairman of the airline. Operations commenced in that same month with a BAe 146BAe 146
The British Aerospace 146 is a medium-sized commercial airliner formerly manufactured in the United Kingdom by British Aerospace, later part of BAE Systems. Production ran from 1983 until 2002. Manufacture of an improved version known as the Avro RJ began in 1992...
-100 leased from National Jet Systems
National Jet Systems
Cobham Aviation Services Australia , is a scheduled and charter airline with its Headquarters based in Adelaide, Australia. It provides aviation services including wet leasing, scheduled airline operations, and charter services across Australia...
. A codeshare agreement with Qantas
Qantas
Qantas Airways Limited is the flag carrier of Australia. The name was originally "QANTAS", an initialism for "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services". Nicknamed "The Flying Kangaroo", the airline is based in Sydney, with its main hub at Sydney Airport...
was later signed in 1999. Eventually services to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
were operated with a Boeing 737-400 configured with 128 economy seats and 12 business class seats (wet leased from Air Nauru
Air Nauru
Our Airline is the national airline of the Republic of Nauru. It operates scheduled international services to other Pacific islands and Australia. Its main base is Nauru International Airport...
on behalf of Norfolk Air Express). In August 2004 a service to Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
was inaugurated using a Fokker F100
Fokker F100
The Fokker 100 is a medium size twin-turbofan airliner from the Fokker company. Low operational costs and almost no competition in the 100-seat short-range class made it a best seller when it was introduced in the late 1980s, but decayed due to increasing competition. Production ended in 1997 with...
, leased from Alliance Airlines
Alliance Airlines
Alliance Airlines is a charter airline based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It specialises in long-term contract charter to the mining and resources industry and governments in Australia, as well as ad-hoc charter operations and aircraft leasing to international airlines...
, configured with 89 economy seats and 8 business class seats. The flights to Auckland soon ceased because of increasing costs on that route.
Norfolk Jet Express went into voluntary liquidation 4 June 2005 . All flights for 4, 5 and 7 June to and from Brisbane and Sydney however went ahead as scheduled while an alternative solution to service provision was found. After urgent discussions, Norfolk Island Government's Official Secretary, Peter Maywald, announced on 7 June that Qantas
Qantas
Qantas Airways Limited is the flag carrier of Australia. The name was originally "QANTAS", an initialism for "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services". Nicknamed "The Flying Kangaroo", the airline is based in Sydney, with its main hub at Sydney Airport...
and Air Nauru
Air Nauru
Our Airline is the national airline of the Republic of Nauru. It operates scheduled international services to other Pacific islands and Australia. Its main base is Nauru International Airport...
would jointly provide replacement services for at least 12 months. For the first week after liquidation
Liquidation
In law, liquidation is the process by which a company is brought to an end, and the assets and property of the company redistributed. Liquidation is also sometimes referred to as winding-up or dissolution, although dissolution technically refers to the last stage of liquidation...
, Alliance Airlines
Alliance Airlines
Alliance Airlines is a charter airline based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It specialises in long-term contract charter to the mining and resources industry and governments in Australia, as well as ad-hoc charter operations and aircraft leasing to international airlines...
aircraft were used for services, following which it was planned that Qantas
Qantas
Qantas Airways Limited is the flag carrier of Australia. The name was originally "QANTAS", an initialism for "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services". Nicknamed "The Flying Kangaroo", the airline is based in Sydney, with its main hub at Sydney Airport...
would operate the flights from 11 June using Air Nauru
Air Nauru
Our Airline is the national airline of the Republic of Nauru. It operates scheduled international services to other Pacific islands and Australia. Its main base is Nauru International Airport...
Boeing 737
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
chartered
Chartered
Charter or Chartered might refer to different things:* Charter, a legal document conferring rights or privileges* Chartered , a professional credential* Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing, a manufacturing company...
by the Norfolk Island Government (ref: Air International, July 2005).
Services
Norfolk Jet Express provided services from Norfolk Island to BrisbaneBrisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
and Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
using the Air Nauru
Air Nauru
Our Airline is the national airline of the Republic of Nauru. It operates scheduled international services to other Pacific islands and Australia. Its main base is Nauru International Airport...
Boeing 737-400 and Alliance Airlines
Alliance Airlines
Alliance Airlines is a charter airline based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It specialises in long-term contract charter to the mining and resources industry and governments in Australia, as well as ad-hoc charter operations and aircraft leasing to international airlines...
Fokker F100
Fokker F100
The Fokker 100 is a medium size twin-turbofan airliner from the Fokker company. Low operational costs and almost no competition in the 100-seat short-range class made it a best seller when it was introduced in the late 1980s, but decayed due to increasing competition. Production ended in 1997 with...
aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
and to Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
at one stage.
Fleet
The aircraft fleet firstly consisted of just one single Bae 146-100 then progressed to a Fokker F100Fokker F100
The Fokker 100 is a medium size twin-turbofan airliner from the Fokker company. Low operational costs and almost no competition in the 100-seat short-range class made it a best seller when it was introduced in the late 1980s, but decayed due to increasing competition. Production ended in 1997 with...
(wet leased from Alliance Airlines
Alliance Airlines
Alliance Airlines is a charter airline based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It specialises in long-term contract charter to the mining and resources industry and governments in Australia, as well as ad-hoc charter operations and aircraft leasing to international airlines...
) and a Boeing 737-400 (leased from Air Nauru
Air Nauru
Our Airline is the national airline of the Republic of Nauru. It operates scheduled international services to other Pacific islands and Australia. Its main base is Nauru International Airport...
)