{{Short description|Logistics company based in Melbourne, Australia}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}} {{Use Australian English|date=April 2012}} {{Infobox airline |airline = Australian airExpress |logo = Australian airExpress logo.svg |IATA = XM |ICAO = XME |callsign = QANTAS |founded = 1 August 1992 |ceased = 14 February 2013 |hubs = Melbourne Airport |fleet_size = |parent = Qantas |headquarters = Melbourne, Australia |key_people = |website = [https://web.archive.org/web/20130115030752/http://aae.com.au/ www.aae.com.au]}}

'''Australian airExpress''' was a logistics company based in Melbourne, Australia. It operated freight-only services within Australia using aircraft operated by Express Freighters Australia (a subsidiary of Qantas), National Jet Systems and Pel-Air; and a fleet of land vehicles. Its main base was Melbourne Airport.<ref name="FI">{{Cite news| title= Directory: World Airlines | work= Flight International | pages= 80–81 | date= 27 March 2007}}</ref> Australian airExpress was absorbed into Qantas Freight in February 2013.

==History== [[File:Australian air Express (VH-XML) Boeing 737-376(SF) at Melbourne Airport.jpg|thumb|Express Freighters Australia Boeing 737s formed the core of the Australian airExpress fleet after National Jet Systems' Boeing 727s were retired]] [[File:National Jet Systems (VH-NJF) British Aerospace BAe 146-300QT.jpg|thumb|National Jet Systems British Aerospace 146 operating on behalf of Australian airExpress]] [[File:Pelairmetromascot.JPG|thumb|Pel-Air Fairchild Expediter operating on behalf of Australian airExpress]] [[File:AAE at SYD.JPG|thumb|Australian airExpress International facility at Sydney Airport]] Australian airExpress (AaE) was established as a domestic air freight company with the ability of pick-up and delivery services using both vans and trucks. AaE started operations on 1 August 1992.<ref>Major Airline Directory ''Australian Aviation'' issue 86 May 1993 page 69</ref> It was established as a 50:50 joint venture between Qantas and Australia Post to compete with Ansett Australia.<ref>Airlines of Australasia Directory ''Australian Aviation'' issue 172 May 2001 page 62</ref> AaE operated more than 50 nightly inter-capital freighter services.<ref name="FI"/> AaE used freight capacity on Qantas domestic flights and also dedicated cargo services operated on its behalf by several different companies, principally using Boeing 727 aircraft. Australian airExpress began the phasing out of the 727s in September 2006 and they were replaced by converted Boeing 737s that were formerly part of the Qantas fleet, operated by Qantas subsidiary Express Freighters Australia.<ref>Qantas to modify 737 freighters for AAE ''Australian Aviation'' issue 227 May 2006 page 27</ref><ref name=AA239>Freighter Farewell ''Australian Aviation'' issue 239 June 2007 pages 70-71</ref> The first Boeing 737 entered service on 24 October 2006.<ref name=AA239/> On 2 October 2012, Qantas acquired Australia Post's 50% shareholding in AaE, with Australia Post in turn acquiring Qantas's 50% stake in StarTrack.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/business/companies/australia-post-to-buy-qantas-out-of-freight-group-startrack-express-in-400-million-deal/story-fndgp8b1-1226486162571|title=Australia Post to buy Qantas out of freight group StarTrack Express in $400 million deal|publisher=Herald Sun|date=2 October 2012}}</ref>

Australian airExpress was absorbed into Qantas Freight in February 2013.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130115030752/http://aae.com.au/ Creating Australia's Leading Air Freight Services Business] Australian airExpress</ref>

===Operations=== AaE flight operations were somewhat complex and varied. "Next Flight" services used space on the next available scheduled Qantas passenger flights. Items carried for Overnight, 2 Day Economy and Off-Peak deliveries were flown on both Qantas and Australian airExpress aircraft operated by Express Freighters Australia, National Jet Systems subsidiary National Jet Express, and Pel-Air. The company did not service the Northern Territory 'overnight' from Sydney. Due to the three different service providers, AaE flights operated using different flight numbers and callsigns. The Express Freighters Australia Boeing 737s used Qantas flight numbers and callsigns as the ground handling was done by Qantas/Express Freighters,<ref>[http://www.sydneyairport.com.au/SACL/default.htm Sydney Airport website] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080203125304/http://www.sydneyairport.com.au/SACL/default.htm |date=3 February 2008 }} retrieved 5 February 2008.</ref> while National Jet Express used the aircraft registration as their callsign and used the IATA designator '''XM''' for its flight numbers (and used the ICAO designator '''XME''').<ref name=AA239/><ref name=NJE/> Pel-Air flights also used '''XM''' flight numbers but had no specific callsigns. AaE also had an international Division called Australian airExpress International.

==Destinations== In February 2008 Australian airExpress operated freight services to the following domestic scheduled destinations:<ref name=AA239/><ref name=NJE/><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20050404062623/http://www.aae.com.au//desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-23//27_read-35 Australian air Express locations] retrieved 5 February 2008.</ref>

;Australian Capital Territory * Canberra Airport

;New South Wales * Newcastle Airport * Sydney Airport

;Northern Territory * Ayers Rock Airport * Darwin International Airport * Gove Airport

;Queensland * Brisbane Airport * Cairns Airport * Gold Coast Airport * Mackay Airport * Rockhampton Airport * Townsville Airport

;South Australia * Adelaide Airport

;Tasmania * Hobart Airport * Launceston Airport

;Victoria * Melbourne Airport (main hub)

;Western Australia * Perth Airport

==Fleet== The following aircraft were operating on behalf of Australian airExpress in December 2011:<ref name="FI"/><ref name=NJE>[http://www.casa.gov.au/casadata/aoc/download/ML580965-07.pdf National Jet Express AOC] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080807032754/http://www.casa.gov.au/casadata/aoc/download/ML580965-07.pdf |date=7 August 2008 }} retrieved 6 September 2008.</ref><ref>[http://www.casa.gov.au/casadata/aoc/download/SY503021-30.pdf Express Freighters Australia AOC] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081030180814/http://www.casa.gov.au/casadata/aoc/download/SY503021-30.pdf |date=30 October 2008 }} retrieved 6 September 2008.</ref><ref>[http://www.casa.gov.au/casadata/regsearch/airsresults.asp?VHin=&framein=all&manuin=&modelin=&regholdin=&regopin=National+Jet+Express&serialin=&num_results=10&Search=Search Australian civil aircraft register search, using "National Jet Express" as the search parameter.]{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Search conducted 6 September 2008.</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin:1em auto; border-collapse:collapse" |+ Australian airExpress Fleet |- !Aircraft !Total !Notes |- |Fairchild Metro III |1 |Operated by Pel-Air |- |Boeing 737-300F |4 |Operated by Express Freighters Australia |- |British Aerospace 146-300QT |2 |Operated by Cobham Aviation Services |- |British Aerospace 146-100QT |1 |Operated by Cobham Aviation Services |}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{commons category-inline|Australian air Express}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20050404062623/http://www.aae.com.au/ Company website]

{{Airlines of Australia}} {{Qantas}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Australian Air Express}} Category:Airlines established in 1992 Category:Airlines disestablished in 2013 Category:Cargo airlines of Australia Category:Companies based in Melbourne Category:Defunct airlines of Australia Category:Qantas Category:1992 establishments in Australia Category:2013 disestablishments in Australia