Union Airways of New Zealand

Union Airways of New Zealand
Union Airways' Karoro at Milson in November 1936
FoundedApril 1935
Commenced operations15 January 1936
Ceased operations31 March 1947
Operating basesMangere, Milson, Rongotai, Taieri
Secondary hubsPalmerston North
Focus citiesAuckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin
AllianceANA, TEAL
Parent companyUnion Company
HeadquartersDunedin
Key peopleF Maurice Clarke, Norrie Falla
The pilots beside Karoro at Milson in January 1936

Union Airways of New Zealand Limited was New Zealand's first major airline. It was founded in 1935 by local shipping giant Union Company. Its services reached main centres from Auckland to Dunedin and extended to Gisborne and the West Coast of the South Island. Union Airways was instrumental in the establishment of Australian National Airways and TEAL.

In April 1946 the Government of New Zealand bought all the shares in Union Airways, later forming New Zealand National Airways Corporation which took over on 31 March 1947 all Union Airways operations assets and facilities adding them to those taken from other local airlines.