Air Australia placed into voluntary administration

Air Australia A320-211 VH-YQC msn 395

Photo: Mark Lynam copyright 2012

Air Australia formerly Strategic Airlines was placed into voluntary adminstration after the airline was unable to pay its fuel & other bills.

Air Australia suspended all fights effective from 01.30hrs (EST) leaving up to 4,000 stranded passengers abroad in Bali Indonesia, Phuket Thailand & Honolulu USA.

Administrators KordaMentha, representating the airline have been in discussion with airline's Qantas, Jetstar, Virgin Australia & Hawaiian Airlines seeking assistance in returning stranded passengers from overseas. Hawaiian Airlines is offering a $300 (approx) fare to return those passengers to Australia, with other airlines expected to offer similiar.

The airline was founded in 2008 as Strategic Airlines, and was re-branded on October 30th 2011 to Air Australia. The airline operated a fleet of four aircraft; 1x A330-223 VH-SSA msn 324, and 3x A320-211/212 aircraft VH-YQA msn 190, VH-YQB msn 279, VH-YQC msn 395 & leased A330-223 TC-ETK msn 358.

International services operated from Perth to Denpasar Bali (WADD) and were suspended on
29th October 2011, when VH-YQB msn 279 operated the airline's last 'AGC501/502' service.

The airline continued to operate a thrice weekly service from Perth to Derby (Curtin) operating as a fly in / fly out charter operator to the mining industry. The last flight operating on this route operated on Wednesday 15th February 2012 by A320-212 VH-YQB msn 279 departed at 06.10hrs & returned to Perth at 11.57hrs its last services operated as 'VC501/502'.