Australia's newest airline launches in Brisbane, with Strategic Airlines changing its name to Air Australia and promising direct routes to the US and China.
A new budget carrier flying passengers both domestically and to regional tourist hotspots has been launched today in the wake of Qantas's grounding crisis.
Until now primarily a charter company, Strategic Airlines said it would add more routes to its existing line-up and rebrand itself "Air Australia", with jets sporting the green and gold livery usually associated with the nation's sporting teams.
The Air Australia design, produced by Virgin Blue designer Sean Cummins, features a distinct gold and green boomerang motif with a grey secondary colour.
Strategic Airlines has rebranded itself as Air Australia and shifted to a low-cost model.
Small boomerangs are featured on the planes’ wing tips.
"Strategic Airlines will retire its name, red white and blue brand and full service business model commencing from 15 November 2011 to become Air Australia, a new international and domestic low-cost carrier," the firm said.
The move comes after tens of thousands of Australians were stranded over the weekend when flag carrier Qantas grounded its whole fleet worldwide amid a row with unions, doing serious damage to its reputation.
Air Australia will fly to Bali, Phuket and Hawaii.
The first Air Australia flight will also take off on November 15, and the new brand will absorb Strategic's routes to Bali in Indonesia and Thailand's Phuket, before launching a new service to Honolulu in December.
The island destinations are extremely popular with Australian tourists.
The airline will also continue Strategic's flights from Brisbane and Perth to key mining destinations at Port Hedland and Derby, in the minerals-rich Kimberley region, chief commercial officer Damien Vasta said.
Domestic services will start between Melbourne and Brisbane, he added. The airline also plans to fly between Brisbane and Darwin.
Air Australia will next month add a second Airbus A330 to its fleet, which also contains three A320s, and Mr Vasta said it would target up to five flights a week to Bali and as many as three a week to the other foreign ports.
The airline officially launched its brand and staff uniforms this morning, just days after Qantas's dramatic grounding.
Chief commercial officer Damien Vasta denied the launch's timing was linked to the Qantas chaos but said it did "establish I think to the Australian travelling public that they want competition".
Read more on the Brisbane Times.>> Read more travel stories.
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