View source for O'Connor Airlines

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Use Australian English|date=April 2012}}
{{Infobox airline
|airline        = O'Connor Airlines
|logo           = Oconnor.png
|logo_size      = 150
|IATA           = UQ
|ICAO           = OCM
|callsign       = OCONNOR
|parent         = 
|company_slogan = 
|founded        = 1973 
|ceased         = 14 December 2007
|headquarters   = [[Mount Gambier]]
|key_people     = 
|hubs           = [[Mount Gambier Airport|Mount Gambier]]
|focus_cities   = [[Adelaide Airport|Adelaide]]
|frequent_flyer = [[Qantas#Qantas Frequent Flyer|Qantas Frequent Flyer]]
|alliance       = [[Oneworld]]
|fleet_size     = 2 (March 2017)
|destinations   = 
|website        = [https://web.archive.org/web/20071009001559/http://www.oconnorairlines.com.au/ www.oconnorairlines.com.au]}}

'''O'Connor Airlines''' was an [[airline]] based in [[Mount Gambier]], [[South Australia]]. It operated scheduled services from Mount Gambier to destinations in South Australia and [[Victoria, Australia|Victoria]]. Its main base was [[Mount Gambier Airport]], with a hub at [[Adelaide Airport]], which serviced [[Mildura Airport]] and Port Augusta Airport. The airline also serviced [[Whyalla Airport]] until September 2007.<ref name="FI">{{cite news | title= Directory: World Airlines | work= [[Flight International]] | page= 58 | date= 2007-04-10}}</ref>

== History ==
{{Citation needed|date=June 2007}}
The airline was established and started operations in 1973. Beginning as a one-aeroplane flight school in [[South Australia]], O'Connor Airlines developed, over some years, into a freight and passenger service flying to 18 regional and country centres across the state. This was to change when it lost the freight contact. It subsequently relaunched itself, rebasing in [[Mount Gambier Airport|Mount Gambier]], and began services from that city to [[Adelaide Airport|Adelaide]] and [[Melbourne Airport|Melbourne]]. The IATA Code '''OL''' was used up to 1990. It then started flying to [[Whyalla Airport|Whyalla]]. It began to service [[Mildura Airport|Mildura]] in 1998, purchasing a [[QantasLink]] route. In 2006, after [[Airlines of South Australia]] ceased operations, it began flying from Adelaide to [[Port Augusta Airport|Port Augusta]].

The airline used [[Qantas]] facilities at both Adelaide and Melbourne airports. Originally, it used those of [[Trans Australia Airlines|Australian Airlines]].

In November 2007 O'Connor Airline was placed into [[administration (law)|voluntary administration]] with debts of between $4–5m AUD. This was largely blamed on high maintenance costs and high competition. Administrators McGrath Nicol was at the time looking for a buyer of the service.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Maria|first1=Craig|title=Airline owes 5 million dollars Airline owes 5 million dollars|url=http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2007/11/22/2098314.htm|accessdate=13 December 2014|publisher=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]|date=22 November 2007}}</ref>

O'Connor Airlines ceased operations on 14 December 2007 after its administrators were unable to find a buyer willing to purchase the airline as a going concern. On 21 February 2008, the airline's creditors voted for a pooled Deed of Company Arrangement (DoCA) for the airline group to be broken up and then commence trading again under new ownership. Many of the assets were subsequently purchased by Mount Gambier businessman Adrian de Bruin, including the [[Air Operator's Certificate]], and used to establish de Bruin Air.<ref>{{cite news 
| title = De Bruin leaves door open on new airline  
| publisher = ABC News 
| date = 28 February 2008 
| url = http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/28/2175423.htm
| archive-url = https://archive.today/20121231082756/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/28/2175423.htm
| url-status = dead
| archive-date = 31 December 2012
| accessdate = 10 December 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news 
| title = DeBruin opens new Mt Gambier headquarters  
| publisher = ABC News 
| date = 12 May 2008 
| url = http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/05/12/2242012.htm
| archive-url = https://archive.today/20121231075123/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/05/12/2242012.htm
| url-status = dead
| archive-date = 31 December 2012
| accessdate = 10 December 2009}}</ref>

== Destinations ==
*'''[[South Australia]]'''
**[[Adelaide Airport]]
**[[Port Augusta Airport]]
**[[Mount Gambier Airport]]
**[[Whyalla Airport]]
*'''[[Victoria, Australia|Victoria]]'''
**[[Mildura Airport]]
**[[Melbourne Airport]]
*O'Connor flew to [[Renmark Airport|Renmark]] for a brief period in 2001. During 2000 the airline carried 41,732 passengers.

Melbourne services ceased 1 July 2007 and Whyalla services ceased 3 September 2007

==Fleet==
The O'Connor Airlines fleet consisted of the following aircraft (at March 2007):<ref name="FI"/>

*2 [[Handley Page Jetstream|BAe Jetstream 32]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|O'Connor Airlines}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070705084211/http://www.oconnorairlines.com.au/ O'Connor Airlines]
*[http://www.oconnorairlines.com.au/Press%20Releas2007.doc Press Release of Melbourne Cessation]

{{Airlines of Australia|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Airlines established in 1973]]
[[Category:Airlines disestablished in 2007]]
[[Category:Defunct airlines of Australia]]
[[Category:1973 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:2007 disestablishments in Australia]]