Macair In Voluntary Administration

[Brad Myer]

Hi all,

Just heard that Macair as of 11pm last night went into Administration.

I have been told most flights today have been grounded/xxld!

[Dan Hammond]

Is this the result of no more funding from the Government for the airline, or just bad Management?

[Mick F]

Any accurate sources? News stories?

I have a flight booked on them on the 8th of Feb. If true, then I might be in a spot of bother, :mad:.

Mick

[Matt_L]

http://www.search.asic.gov.au/cgi-bin/gns030c?acn=073_278_378&juris=9&hdtext=ACN&srchsrc=1

[Dave Parer]

From the Courier Mail website;

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,24983874-952,00.html

[Dan Hammond]

Just checked the Brisbane Airport website, shows all Macair flights cancelled

[Dave Parer]

All Macair flights have been completely taken off both the Townsville & Cairns Airport flight arrivals & departures website altogether.

Friday is a busy day for Macair out of Townsville with the Mt Isa flights plus all the mining charters contracts.

Sounds like there will be many stranded people and to make matters worse, the torrential rain in Nth West Qld has isolated most of the area around Mt Isa and driving is not an option either as the highway between Townsville and Mt Isa is cut because of flood waters.

[Dave Parer]

From the Cairns Post;

http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2009/01/30/26055_local-news.html

This could possibily lead to QantasLink taking over the TSV-ISA-TSV route using Dash-8 / Q400 equipment.

Alliance has just recently doubled it's fleet based in Townsville so they are in a prime position to take over the mining charters.

Time will tell, but who has the fleet to operate to the smaller western regional ports in outback QLD? Skytrans maybe?

[Mick F]

Maybe it's a chance for QLink to bring forward their TSV-ISA flights from March to now!

Ah well. Here's to seeing probably about 30cents in every $1 that Macair now owe me, :rolleyes:.

Mick

[Brian Wilkes]

Good chance for REX to move in here!

[Dave Parer]

Never thought about Rex. They have Saab's like Maciar so that might work. Will certainly be interesting developments over the next few days.

Also going to be interesting to see what happens to the Townsville based ATR-500 that Macair have.

Yes Mick, maybe QF do need to move NOW instead of their planned start up date of 1st March for the TSV-ISA-TSV flights. These flights are to be operated by the Q400's.

[Adam G]

I think many of you have missed the reason why MacAir has financial difficulities - the routes they are operating on are very marginal even with the government support and the mining industry is also struggling. If they can't make it work on a Saab then Alliance won't be able to on a F50/100 or Rex on a SF3 or QFLin on a Q400 - the routes are just too marginal.

I understand that Skytrans is operating a few of the charter/mining routes today. I'd say that you're more likely to see Skytrans pick up a bit, QantasLink pick up a bit (mainly the ISA work), Alliance or Skyairworld may pick up bits of the mining work however some regional communities will no doubt be left high & dry unless the government/community support for some of those routes makes it viable in such large aircraft.

[Clarry S]

You will find that MacAir was actually poorly managed and this is simply a systemic failure of an airline with profitable routes/guaranteed income from mining charters. For this reason another carrier will pick up the pieces at a bargain price.

Lets hope the staff find new jobs within the industry soon enough.

[Mick F]

Adam,
Most routes Macair operated on were more often than not close to full. I don't see how someone couldn't make money on those routes with a SAAB.

Not only that, but they also charged like a wounded bull, and most of their work was government work. So mismanagement seems to be the issue here.

Mick

[phil.l]

Anyone know where their SAAB`S AND ATR are parked?

[Damian N]

I saw one of their SAABs was parked with the freighters at Brisbane yesterday arvo.

[phil.l]

Thanks Damian any idea which one?

[Dave Parer]

Hi Phil,

I was out at Townsville Airport yesterday and saw four Macair Saab's parked in a row over at the GA section next to the large hangers that have recently been erected.

There was also a Saab inside one of the hangers, and I believe VH-UYF might have been the Saab in Brisbane as I logged UYF on my SBS yesterday so it seems it ferried from BNE to TSV and that all Saab's are now here in Townsville.

I never saw the ATR and I really did look hard while I was flying around, but the other three large maintenance hangers had their doors closed so VH-UYJ might have been in one of those hangers but I can't confirm.

I will be out at the airport again this week so I will investigate more.

Cheers,

Dave.

[Mick F]

UYJ not still parked at Cloncurry is it? Broken? Like most of their aircraft seemed to be.

We've been told that one of the taxiways we use in Townsville to taxi to our hangar, has been closed due to Macair aircraft parked on it.

Mick

[phil.l]

Thanks very much Dave well done,love your ADS-B logs to keep them up.

[Greg W.]

An update:

http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2009/02/01/26231_local-news.html

[Dave Parer]

Macair Saab, VH-UYH has departed Townsville now operating the normal CC711 flight to Osborne Mine

[phil.l]

Dave UYH doing contract minning work?

[Steve Crook]

Out of interest , is there an air service now to Julia Creek? I lived out there for a few years in the 80s when the Trans Australia F-27s did the milk run between Townsville and Mt Isa and return. Will always remember the excursion I arranged for the kids I was teaching - school bus down to Richmond then Fokker Friendship home. The crew was great - even gave each kid a little go at flying the plane (reckon that would happen these days???!!!) and a special circuit of town before landing.

[David N]

Good chance for REX to move in here!

Isn't there a pilot shortage for Rex?

A friend of a friend decided to fly for Macair over Rex, hope there are still jobs for the staff.

David

[Chris W]

There is no pilot shortage at Rex!

[Dave Parer]

Article in today's edition of the Townsville Bulletin;

http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2009/02/03/36515_news.html

[David N]

There is no pilot shortage at Rex!

Ok thanks Chris, it was reported at the end of 2007 there was.

Regards
David

[Dave Parer]

Reported in Townsville Bulletin today that Macair boss is to sue Queensland Government;

http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2009/02/06/37371_hpnews.html

[Daniel M]

Macair has now be wound up. Sad day for all :(

From ABC news

200 jobs lost as receivers close MacAir

Posted 3 hours 44 minutes ago

Queensland regional airline MacAir has been wound up by receivers today and its 200 staff have been sacked.

The carrier went into voluntary administration earlier this month.

Receivers Ernst and Young announced this afternoon the business will cease operating immediately.

Spokesman Justin Walsh says the airlines' fleet and equipment will now be sold off to help cover debt.

"We've explored every avenue to try and maintain the business," he said.

"Unfortunately the reality is that the company is just not in a financial or operational position to continue trading beyond today."

[Clarry S]

sad news for all.

I have heard Terry Byrt is suing the QLD state government for allowing MacAir to take on the regulated/subsidized routes. This is ridiculous.

How about Mr Byrt simply bought a white elephant where previous mis-management should shoulder the blame. They fled a sinking a ship and the new owner was none the wiser. Now nearly 200 people are out of work.

No more pilot shortage that's for sure.

[Dan Hammond]

Very sad news, hopefully all the staff arent without jobs for too long.

[Dave Parer]

Article in today's Townsville Bulletin about the Macair collapse.

Qantas Link to start interim services from Townsville to Mt Isa and return as of this Monday, with full schedule taking effect 2nd March.

http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2009/02/07/37591_hpnews.html