Australian regional aviation history - Wagga Wagga - Kendell Airlines
Kendell Airlines
A historical reference page for Kendell Airlines, the Wagga Wagga-founded regional carrier that became one of Australia's most significant regional airlines.
Read the HistoryHero image: Saab 340B VH-EKH, Kendell Airlines at Sydney Airport. Image by Aero Icarus via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
Remembering Kendell Airlines
Kendell Airlines was one of Australia's best-known regional airlines, remembered for its Wagga Wagga origins, strong regional identity, long association with Ansett, and later role in the formation of Regional Express, now widely known as Rex.
The airline's story began with Don and Eilish Kendell, who became involved in a small charter and flying school business in Wagga Wagga in the mid-1960s. In 1967 the business was incorporated as Premiair Aviation Pty Limited, with charter work, flying training and aircraft maintenance forming part of its early activity.
From those beginnings, the business developed into a major regional airline serving communities across New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. By the late 1990s, public company-history material records that Kendell operated more than 1,000 flights a week and carried nearly one million passengers per year.
Regional routes, regional identity
Kendell Airlines became closely associated with regional services linking country centres with major cities, especially through Melbourne Airport, Sydney Airport and Adelaide Airport.
Image: Kendell Airlines Saab 340 at Albury Airport, Phillip Capper via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
From Wagga Wagga to a national regional network
Kendell's development reflected the changing needs of regional Australia. Smaller aircraft, higher frequencies and practical connections allowed services to continue on routes where larger aircraft were uneconomical.
The airline became an important part of Australian regional aviation history because it demonstrated how a country-based airline could grow into a large, respected regional carrier.
For present-day regional, group, business or private flight requirements, AeroBroker's Australian aircraft charter services can help define the mission and source suitable options from appropriately authorised aircraft operators.
Public Timeline
Don and Eilish Kendell became involved in a small charter and flying school business based at Wagga Wagga Airport, New South Wales.
The business was incorporated as Premiair Aviation Pty Limited and expanded to include charter services, flying training and maintenance.
Premiair commenced its first regular service using a seven-seat Piper Navajo on the Melbourne-Corryong-Wagga Wagga route.
The company name was changed to Kendell Airlines (Aust) Pty Limited, building on the reputation of Don and Eilish Kendell.
Kendell took delivery of a Saab 340, recorded as the first Saab 340 in the Southern Hemisphere.
Kendell took over Ansett's South Australian network, a move that virtually doubled the airline's network.
Kendell became closely associated with Ansett and grew into one of Australia's largest regional airlines.
Following the collapse of Ansett, Kendell entered administration, later transferring passenger airline assets into the Rex Group on 1 August 2002.
Don and Eilish Kendell
The Kendell Airlines story is inseparable from Don Kendell and Eilish Kendell. Don Kendell's aviation career included early flying experience in Wagga Wagga, time with the RAAF reserve, flying in the United Kingdom, and later a return to regional Australia where he built a practical airline business from modest beginnings.
The Australian Aviation Hall of Fame describes Don Kendell as one of the most successful figures in Australian regional aviation, noting the vision and business judgement behind Kendell Airlines' growth. The same historical account records the airline's expansion through Metroliners, Riley Herons, Saab 340s, regional routes, Bass Strait services and the Sydney-Canberra Capital Shuttle.
The Saab 340 milestone
Kendell Airlines is strongly associated with the Saab 340 in Australia. In February 1985, the airline took delivery of a Saab 340, recorded by Rex and other public aviation-history sources as the first Saab 340 in the Southern Hemisphere.
The Saab 340 became an important aircraft type for regional airline operations, providing a step up from smaller commuter aircraft and helping Kendell expand its network and frequency.
The Ansett connection
Kendell's relationship with Ansett was long-running. Its first regular service followed Ansett's withdrawal of DC-3 services on the Melbourne-Corryong-Wagga Wagga route, and over time Kendell took over other airport services where larger aircraft were uneconomical.
In 1990, Don and Eilish Kendell sold out of the airline and Kendell became part of the TNT/News group associated with Ansett. Kendell continued to grow with Ansett, and by the late 1990s the airline was operating at substantial scale across regional Australia.
Regional Australia
Kendell's network helped connect regional communities with capital cities and larger regional centres.
Wagga Wagga origins
The airline retained a strong connection with Wagga Wagga, where the original flying school and charter business was based.
Aircraft evolution
The fleet story moved from light aircraft to Navajos, Herons, Metroliners, Saab 340s and later regional jet operations.
Historical notice
Kendell.com.au is presented as a historical and aviation-interest page. It does not represent that Kendell Airlines is currently operating aircraft, selling tickets, providing charter services, or holding current aviation authorisations.
Kendell Airlines is a former Australian regional airline. Any current aviation activity must be confirmed directly with the relevant authorised aircraft operator.
Travellers seeking current charter options can also request Australian aircraft charter options through AeroBroker, which acts as a broker and sources flights from third-party authorised operators.
Sources and further reading
- Rex - Kendell company history
- Australian Aviation Hall of Fame - Donald Moreton Kendell
- Transportation History - Kendell Airlines and the Saab 340
- Wikimedia Commons - Saab 340 aircraft of Kendell Airlines
- Geoff Goodall's Aviation History - Australian third-level airlines
This page summarises public historical sources and should not be treated as a definitive legal, ownership, corporate or regulatory record.
Contact
If you have historical information, photographs, corrections or memories connected with Kendell Airlines, Don and Eilish Kendell, Wagga Wagga aviation, or regional airline history, please make contact.
Email: air.charter.request@gmail.com
Please include the source of any historical information where possible, especially dates, photographs, route details, employee memories, aircraft registrations or operator references.