AirQuarius Aviation
IATA ICAO Callsign
- AQU QUARIUS
Founded1997
Ceased operationsFebruary 2012
HubsLanseria Airport
Secondary hubsCape Town International Airport
Fleet size1
HeadquartersJohannesburg, South Africa
Key peopleGavin Branson August 1967 - October 2014
Websitehttp://www.airquarius.com/ defunct
AirQuarius (ZS-GAV) "Karen" Boeing 737-200.

AirQuarius Aviation was an airline based in Johannesburg, South Africa, operating chartered flights and aircraft leasing contracted by companies throughout Africa and the Middle East. The airline's base was at Lanseria Airport, Johannesburg.[1]

History

AirQuarius Aviation (Pty) Ltd was established by Gavin Branson in 1997 and started operations in 2001, doing business as AirQuarius Air Charter.[2] The name was changed to Branson Air (Pty) Ltd, doing business as AirQuarius in 2007.[3] At one time, it had 120 employees.[1] The airline specialized in operating flights to political crisis areas. As such, AirQuarius was the only operator into Baghdad or Basra during the Iraq War.[4] Other missions included UN flights into Afghanistan and Sudan.[citation needed]

In 2011, it was alleged that an air operating certificate was awarded to an AirQuarius Charters aircraft on the basis of an inspection form which the inspector said was not written or signed by him.[5]

AirQuarius stopped operating on 7 February 2012.[5]

Fleet

AirQuarius operated Fokker 28,[5] Fokker 100, Hawker Siddeley HS 748 and Boeing 737-200 aircraft.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 27 March 2007. p. 71.
  2. ^ "AirQuarius Air Charter Fleet Details and History". www.planespotters.net. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  3. ^ a b "AirQuarius Fleet Details and History". www.planespotters.net. Archived from the original on 22 January 2011. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  4. ^ "Landing in Baghdad". Air & Space Magazine. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  5. ^ a b c "AirQuarius flights". Southafrica.to. 7 February 2012. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
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