Air Freight NZ was a

cargo airline Cargo airlines (or air freight carriers, and derivatives of these names) are airlines mainly dedicated to the transport of air cargo, cargo by air. Some cargo airlines are divisions or subsidiaries of larger passenger airlines. In 2018, airline ...

based in

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about ...

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

. It operated scheduled overnight cargo services on behalf of owner Freightways, and is supported by sister company Fieldair holdings. Domestic charter services are also operated. Its main base is

Auckland Airport Auckland Airport is the largest and busiest airport in New Zealand, with over 21 million passengers in the year ended March 2019. The airport is located near Māngere, a residential suburb, and Airport Oaks, a service hub suburb south of th ...

, with hubs at

Christchurch International Airport Christchurch Airport is the main airport that serves Christchurch, New Zealand. It is located to the northwest of the city centre, in the suburb of Harewood. Christchurch (Harewood) Airport officially opened on 18 May 1940 and became New Zea ...

and Palmerston North International Airport. Air Freight NZ Convair 580 Breidenstein-1

History

The airline started operations in July 1989, headed by William (Bill) Olsen. Its primary contract was with the courier division of Freightways Group. It is now wholly owned by Freightways Express. The Convair carries 11 cargons of freight on each trip. Despite its age the Convair is a great performer capable of transporting seven and a half tonnes of freight at 300 kts.

Accidents and incidents

*3 October 2003: Air Freight NZ

Convair 580 The Convair CV-240 is an American airliner that Convair manufactured from 1947 to 1954, initially as a possible replacement for the ubiquitous Douglas DC-3. Featuring a more modern design with cabin pressurization, the 240 series made some inroa ...

, ZK-KFU, was lost off radar near the Kapiti Coast. Fatalities: 2. *31 July 1989: Air Freight NZ

, ZK-FTB, descended shortly after takeoff from

, colliding with a bank before crashing into Manukau Harbour. Fatalities: 3.

Destinations

Air Freight NZ operated freight services to the following destinations in April 2013:

Christchurch Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon Rive ...

and

Palmerston North Palmerston North (; mi, Te Papa-i-Oea, known colloquially as Palmy) is a city in the North Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Manawatū-Whanganui region. Located in the eastern Manawatu Plains, the city is near the north bank of the ...

. Air Freight operated seven northbound flights per night from Christchurch Airport.

Fleet

The former Air Freight NZ fleet consisted of the following aircraft (at June 2014): *4

*1 Convair 5800

Aircraft Fleet 1989-2016

References

External links

Fieldair
{{DEFAULTSORT:Air Freight Nz Defunct airlines of New Zealand Airlines established in 1985 Cargo airlines of New Zealand New Zealand companies established in 1985