Airnorth

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Australian regional airline

title: "Airnorth" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["airlines-established-in-1978", "australian-companies-established-in-1978", "regional-aviation-association-of-australia", "companies-based-in-darwin,-northern-territory", "qantas", "aviation-in-the-northern-territory", "airlines-of-australia"] description: "Australian regional airline" topic_path: "geography/australia" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airnorth" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Australian regional airline ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox airline"]

FieldValue
airlineAirnorth
logoAirnorth logo.svg
logo_size250
imageAirnorth Embraer 170 VH-ANT Perth, 2024 (02).jpg
captionAirnorth Embraer E-170
image_upright1.15
IATATL
ICAOANO
callsignTOPEND
parentBristow Helicopters Australia
founded1978
key_peopleDaniel Bowden (CEO) Simon Gibbons (COO)
headquartersDarwin, Northern Territory, Australia
hubsDarwin Airport,
Perth Airport
frequent_flyerNone
fleet_size14
destinations21
website
::

| airline = Airnorth | logo = Airnorth logo.svg | logo_size = 250 | image = Airnorth Embraer 170 VH-ANT Perth, 2024 (02).jpg | caption = Airnorth Embraer E-170 | image_upright = 1.15 | IATA = TL | ICAO = ANO | callsign = TOPEND | parent = Bristow Helicopters Australia | founded = 1978 | key_people = Daniel Bowden (CEO) Simon Gibbons (COO) | headquarters = Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia | hubs = Darwin Airport, Perth Airport | frequent_flyer = None | fleet_size = 14 | destinations = 21 | website = | aoc = | focus_cities = | num_employees =

Capiteq Pty Limited, trading as Airnorth, is a regional airline based at Darwin International Airport in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. It operates scheduled and charter services in the Northern Territory, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia, and East Timor.

Airnorth carries over 350,000 passengers per year.

Aircraft Logistics is a subsidiary company and the Part 145 Engineering division of Airnorth. Aircrew Logistics is a subsidiary company that employs the pilots and cabin crew for Airnorth.

Airnorth is a member of the Regional Aviation Association of Australia (RAAA).

History

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Airnorth_offices_and_maintenance_hangar_at_Darwin_Airport.jpg" caption="Airnorth headquarters at Darwin Airport"] ::

Airnorth was established in 1978 and started operations on 4 July that year as Air North International; it was the result of the merger of Airnorth, Rossair and Tillair.

It operated charter flights only until scheduled services were introduced in 1981. At this time, the airline's fleet included the first turbine powered aircraft in the Northern Territory, a Beechcraft Super King Air as well as a Douglas DC-3.

Beginning in September 1999, Airnorth operated charters from Darwin to Dili, East Timor, on behalf of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor. In 2000, this became a scheduled service, Airnorth's first international route.

In 2007, Airnorth introduced the Embraer E-170 to its fleet, the first jet aircraft operated by the airline. In 2012, it announced a direct service between Darwin and Townsville, the first Australian airline to offer a non-stop connection between these cities.

On 5 February 2015, it was announced that Bristow Helicopters Australia Ltd., a division of the US-based Bristow Group, had acquired an 85 percent controlling interest in Airnorth. Bristow stated that Airnorth would retain its name and brand identity. Later in 2015 Bristow Helicopters Australia purchased the remaining shares to obtain full ownership.

Under Bristow's ownership, Airnorth responded to a downturn in the mining industry, restructuring the route network by withdrawing services to Karratha, Port Hedland and the Gold Coast. A fifth E-170 joined the fleet in 2016. The increased availability of the jets allowed expansion into South East Queensland and Victoria, commencing operations between Wellcamp Airport near Toowoomba to Melbourne and Cairns from March 2016. Within months the airline added further flights from Wellcamp to Townsville with all three new routes codesharing with Qantas.

In 2022, Airnorth expanded its airline seat capacity by introducing two Embraer ERJ190 aircraft to its fleet, enhancing its ability to meet growing passenger demand. By 2024, the airline has further strengthened its operations and now operates a total of three ERJ190s, providing greater flexibility, efficiency, and comfort across its regional and interstate routes. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/Airnorth_Embraer_190_VH-XFM_Perth_2024_(01).jpg" caption="Embraer E-190]] VH-XFM taxiing at [[Perth Airport"] ::

At the beginning of 2024, Airnorth established a new base in Perth, marking a significant step in the airline's expansion strategy. This move enhances connectivity for passengers in Western Australia and strengthens Airnorth's presence in the region.

In recent years, Airnorth has provided ACMI (wet-lease) coverage for major Australian airlines using its Embraer E-Jet fleet. This includes wet lease partnerships with Virgin Australia, Network Aviation, and Alliance Airlines.

Destinations

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/AirnorthFairchildMetro23KununurraAirport.jpg" caption="Kununurra Airport"] ::

The airline operates over 300 scheduled and contract charter departures weekly, serving 21 domestic and international destinations including: ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/Airnorth_Embraer_ERJ-170-100LR_170LR_PER_Lim.jpg" caption="Embraer E-170]] at [[Perth Airport"] ::

Airnorth previously flew to Melbourne and Toowoomba before terminating the service in early 2022.

Codeshare agreements

Airnorth currently has codeshare agreements with the following airlines:

Interline agreements

Airnorth currently has interline agreements with the following airlines:

Fleet

, the Airnorth fleet consists of an all-Embraer fleet composed of the following aircraft: ::data[format=table]

AircraftIn ServiceOrdersPassengersNotesJYTotalTotal14—
Embraer EMB-1206——3030
Embraer 1703——7676
Embraer 1905——100100Dry leased from Alliance Airlines.
::

Airnorth also has a dry lease agreement for 4 Embraer E-190 aircraft from Alliance Airlines to complement its existing E170 fleet.

Incidents and accidents

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/Airnorth_Brasilia.jpg" caption="Airnorth [[Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia]] at [[Darwin International Airport]] during the dry season"] ::

  • On 22 March 2010, one of Airnorth's Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia aircraft (registration VH-ANB) crashed into bushland near the RAAF Base Darwin golf course at approximately 10:10 (ACST), shortly after taking off from Darwin International Airport on a training flight. The two crew members, who were the only people on board, were killed.

Notes

References

References

  1. "Partner airline - Airnorth".
  2. "Contact us".
  3. "Corporate profile {{!}} Airnorth".
  4. "Airnorth". Airline History.
  5. (18 June 2015). "Airnorth Operates Sophisticated Regional Jets in Some of the World's Most Challenging Environments". Bristow Group.
  6. (6 February 2015). "Bristow Group buys 85pc Airnorth stake". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  7. . (5 February 2015). ["Bristow Helicopters Australia Acquires Controlling Interest In Airnorth"](http://bristowgroup.com/bristow-news/latest-news/2015/bristow-helicopters-australia-acquires-controlling/). *Bristow Group*.
  8. (19 April 2016). "Airnorth axes Pilbara flights to the Kimberley and Darwin". [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]].
  9. Stevenson, A. (14 April 2015). "Airnorth to stop Mount Isa-Gold Coast direct flights as mining downturn impacts". [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]].
  10. Butt, P. (25 September 2016). "Airnorth expects new jet to prove popular with passengers". [[Northern Territory News]].
  11. (14 March 2016). "Airnorth begins Wellcamp operations". [[Australian Aviation]].
  12. (9 September 2016). "Airnorth expands from Wellcamp with new Townsville flights". [[Australian Aviation]].
  13. https://papua.tribunnews.com/pemkab-biak/119431/penerbangan-perdana-australia-biak-dijadwalkan-tiba-28-september
  14. "Darwin direct {{!".
  15. "Destinations".
  16. "Airnorth | Qantas US".
  17. "Airnorth to operate Darwin-Gove-Cairns route".
  18. (September 2025). "Global Airline Guide 2025 - Airnorth". Airliner World.
  19. [https://www.casa.gov.au/aircraft-register Australian civil aircraft register search] {{Webarchive. link. (28 August 2017 , using "Capiteq" as the search parameter; search conducted 16 August 2022.)
  20. "Our Fleet". Airnorth.
  21. McMilan, Scott. (2023-11-28). "Alliance Aviation Services Limited (ASX code: AQZ) 2023 Annual General Meeting Managing Director's Address". Alliance Aviation Services Limited.
  22. (November 2014). "Australian Business Number results for Capiteq/Airnorth".
  23. (2 September 2021). "CASA website link to Airnorth's Air Operator Certificate".
  24. (2007-03-27). "Directory: World Airlines". [[Flight International]].
  25. (22 March 2010). "Two pilots killed in Darwin plane crash". [[Northern Territory News]].
  26. (22 March 2010). "Media briefing: Aircraft accident at Darwin Airport". [[Australian Transport Safety Bureau]].
  27. (22 March 2010). "Two killed in plane crash at Darwin". [[The Sydney Morning Herald]].

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

airlines-established-in-1978australian-companies-established-in-1978regional-aviation-association-of-australiacompanies-based-in-darwin,-northern-territoryqantasaviation-in-the-northern-territoryairlines-of-australia