Flashback! Air New Zealand celebrates a huge milestone

What an entrance, what a journey

In April 1940, a flying boat lifted off from Mechanics Bay in Auckland and nine hours later it touched down on the glass-like waters of Rose Bay. It was the airline’s first scheduled passenger service between New Zealand and the rest of the world 75 years ago.

It was the first-ever flight to Australia by Tasman Empire Airways (TEAL), later, at management say-on, it became Air New Zealand.
 

Main: Touch down … 75 years ago.
 

The unpressurised TEAL Short S30 flying boat had a dream run and the tyranny of distance was overcome. For nine or so passengers and the airline it was a rich and colourful history to realise just how far they had come. 

“Probably the most excited young woman at Rose Bay airbase when the flying boat Aotearoa arrived was Wendy Fysh, small daughter of the managing director, Mr Hudson Fysh, who was a passenger on the plane,” a morning newspaper reported.

Among other passengers were two young NZ women, Joan Hewett and Patty Dromgool, who had not known each other before the flight started but shared a spirit of adventure and became friends as they flew across the Tasman Sea.
 

Scores of people line the shore for this historic flight of pioneers as they alight at Rose Bay, Sydney.
 

“It was my first experience of flying,” Miss Dromgool told The Sydney Morning Herald. “I was very glad to have Miss Hewett’s company. I enjoyed the journey although I didn’t feel my usual self when we went through a few bumps this morning!”

Scores of people lined the shore to watch these long-distance pioneers of the air arrive 75 years ago. And it didn’t take long to realise how the “Kiwi travellers and crew looked positively charming.”

The commander of the Aotearoa flying boat, Captain John Burgess, shook hands with the Air Minister, James Fairbairn. They had a long chat and few laughs together.

From there, it was short walk to greet the crowd of well-wishers who had gathered about the foreshore on that sunny day in Sydney in 1940. 
 

T.E.A.L ‘pioneers’ loved Australia